Spring 2010 Why Did the Taricha Tarosa Cross the Road? E’Ll Get to That Later, but Let Genes
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
East Bay East Bay NATURE 1270A Newell Avenue Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (925) 407-1333 NATURE NEWS www.eastbaynature.com Spring 2010 Why did the TARICHA TAROSA cross the road? e’ll get to that later, but let genes. The female will then lay eggs miners. Let’s think for a minute on that me ask another question. in gelatinous clusters of seven to 30 one. Old Jeddadiah was bragging about What’s small,W brown, moves painfully attached to water plants. The larvae are his newly discovered gold nugget that slow, appears only in the rainy season yellowish brown with bushy external was approximately the size of a football. and makes no noise? gills and large tail fins. Late that night ol’ Jed mysteriously dies That’s right, the California of poisoning and---his gold is gone, too! Newt. Apparently, they are extremely Let’s see, oh yea, it must have been a Look Inside poisonous. They are among newt. Case closed. for Newts are really the most toxic salamanders cool little critters most in California. Their skin The California Newt feeds on a people don’t know much contains poisonous variety of small invertebrates. They eat Lots of New Stuff about if anything at all. glands that secrete various types of insects, earthworms, Taricha comes from the potent toxins, called snails, slugs and sow bugs. Adult newts Greek word tarichos tetrodotoxin and have been known to cannibalize their meaning mummy. Torosa tarichatoxin. Ingestion can cause own eggs and larvae. When eating comes from Latin meaning paralysis or even death to potential underwater, they protrude their tongue fleshy or full of muscle. The name is predators. When attacked, California and use a throat suction to swallow in reference to the newt’s appearance. Newts exhibit the threat reflex, arching their food whole. Kind of like me with a Newts are a relatively large salamander the head and tail up and over the body, Snicker’s bar. ranging between 5 to 8 inches in total extending the limbs, and closing the Gentle Spr ers... Seed Pr ... East Bay Nature length, tan to reddish brown on the eyes to reveal the bright belly. I’ve The California newt is not ing Remind ices 1270A Newell Avenue dorsal surface with a yellow to orange picked up lots of newts and have never a threatened species, but at risk in It’s time to get the bird houses cleaned Seed prices have been Walnut Creek, CA belly. They have large eyes with lightly seen them display this posture. Maybe some parts of its range. In southern and re-hung. Remove the old nest from last stable for a while now. The 94596-5204 colored lower eyelids. You’ve probably they didn’t feel threatened by me. I California, this newt is a species of year (or anything else that may have used the only problem seems to be - seen them roaming around during the also didn’t know they were toxic until special concern. Threats include loss of box). Hang the house 8-10 feet off the ground corn-on-the-cob. We’ve had Phone (925) 407-1333 breeding season, didn’t know what the recently. I don’t think I ever made it a breeding habitat, reduction in hatching or attach it to your own house under the inconsistent delivery due to Fax (925) 937-6291 heck they were, and hopefully didn’t run point to wash my hands after handling success due to increases in ultra- eaves. Poles also work if they are tall enough. corn crops being used for - over them. them. Yikes. violet-B radiation, and predation on Place the house so that the entrance hole is ethanol production. Store Hours eggs and larvae by introduced crayfish Newts live a dual life as either facing east. South and north work, but avoid 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM For much of their lives, and mosquito fish. In some places, a terrestrial, non-breeding eft or an west. (Mon. thru Sat.) California Newts live underground in road kill is a significant cause of adult on Bee .. aquatic newt. Wait, what’s an eft? I Now is the absolute worst time to as Cocoons. 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM the burrows of mortality. Important stretches of M didn’t know either so I looked it up. prune trees and shrubs. The birds and squirrels We’ve got mason bee cocoons in (Sunday) ground road sometimes are closed It’s the terrestrial juvenile phase of a are nesting and cutting down limbs may leave stock at $18.95 for a 10 pack. We also - to allow newts to migrate newt. During the late summer and fall you with a fallen nest with eggs or babies have mason bee houses, books Web safely to ponds and months, this species has a terrestrial inside. If you have any survivors and they and DVDs. My mason bees www.eastbaynature.com streams. I know there existence, hiding under logs and in rock cannot be returned to their original location, are starting to hatch already. - are “Caution Newt Crossing” crevices. After the first winter rains, the they should be taken to Lindsay Wildlife There are lots of trees and wild Owner signs in Briones Park near the San terrestrial efts will migrate to the water Museum hospital for care. If you must prune mustard in bloom right now. Joanie Smith squirrels and other animals. Pablo Reservoir area to help the for breeding. Once in the water, they be sure to check for nests first. Hummingbird Also, salvia is still blooming. We [email protected] They emerge into the open little guys cross the roads during will transform into an aquatic newt. nests are very tiny and hard to find. need these - on rainy nights. In the spring, the breeding season. Unfortunately, the newts migrate to ponds and I’ve run over a few of them in my guys to Newsletter Design They undergo a lakes, where they can build up large driveway. The darn things look like dark Clip and Save pollinate Jim Gahl Designs number of changes during populations. In northern parts of the brown, wet leaves and move at the our gardens and fruit [email protected] the breeding season. Terrestrial, non- range, California Newts inhabit moist speed of a snail with a hangover making trees! breeding adults have warty skin and forests. In the south they live in drier them especially hard to spot. are not slimy. Aquatic, breeding males areas, including oak woodland and develop smooth skin, swellings around So, why did the Taricha Torosa grassland. their cloacal openings, and a fin-like cross the road? To get to the Taricha Torosa la feminae, of course. tail. California Newts have a mating There are stories about gold We will be closed ritual that is unique to this genus. miners who died mysteriously back Once mating is complete the male will Bless the newts~ Easter Sunday, April 4. in the California gold rush days. It’s - Joanie, Annie stand over the female guarding her thought that newts may have climbed from mating attempts by other males into their coffee pots and poisoned the and Molly thereby ensuring the continuation of his Lindsay Wildlife Museum Events aster and Moth .. 1931 First Avenue E er’s Day Gift Ideas. Walnut Creek, CA Local Honey Give Mom something sweet for Mother’s Day. If you haven’t tried Phil Rice’s honey from Evergreen Outdoor Figurines Alamo, you should! It’s still the best honey around and the price is reasonable… These are BRIGHTLY- Wonders of Wildlife Tour - Wow! colored ceramic mushrooms, Let the folks at Lindsay Wildlife museum WOW you and your best SPI House and Garden rabbits and bird houses friend, your mom, your brother, anyone who might be interested in what they The frog carrying a lantern is great. Really, how often do you see that? He’s actually (decorative only) for indoors or outdoors. If this do at Lindsay Wildlife Museum. Come experience firsthand the mission and quite large and goofy looking. He ain’t cheap either, but well-made. The lantern is meant to newsletter was in color you’d see what I mean. the passion of the staff that work to keep Lindsay Wildlife Museum a great hold a small candle. He’d look pretty cool by the front door. They would be brighten up a patio or bring museum, animal hospital and a safe place to experience nature. The Wonders some color underneath the trees and bushes. of Wildlife program and tour of the hospital (you must be 10 yrs. or older for the hospital part), animal encounters and museum will WOW you. You will not Bird Houses by Michael Massey be asked to make a financial contribution but the staff would like to hear what Our bird walk leader of several years has been building bird houses in his you have to say. spare time. They’re made of cedar, all the right proportions and skillfully crafted. And, Sign up today to be WOWed . The next Wonders of Wildlife program hey, they’re made in the USA! He’s made a chickadee/titmouse nest box and a Western Z Garden Party and tour is March 18 at 11:30 AM. If you can’t make that date, there will Bluebird nest box. The chickadee/titmouse nest boxes have already sold out. I hope he’s I carried these cool, be another tour March 20 at 10:00 AM. Contact Mary McAfee, Community busy building while he’s reading this newsletter! rusty garden figurines years ago.