Spotted Salamander - Ambystoma maculatum

Diet

The spotted salamander uses its sticky tongue to catch worms, insects, and snails.

Life Cycle

The spotted salamander breeds from March to April in the northern part of its range, from January to February in the Great Smoky Mountains, and from December to February in the South.

The spotted salamander usually moves to breeding ponds at night during the first rain after the winter thaw. Males arrive at the breeding ponds first. The female lays one or more egg masses covered with a jelly-like substance. Each egg mass contains about 100 eggs. The egg masses stick to submerged branches and other objects. The larvae hatch in 1-2 months, depending on the water temperature. Young larvae eat zooplankton and insect larvae and, sometimes, other spotted salamander larvae. The larvae become salamanders in 2-4 months.

Behavior

The spotted salamander spends most of its time underground. It needs areas with soil that is easy to burrow into. Some spotted salamanders can live to be 30 years old!