Thursday 30 April 2015

Name that reptile

Out walking in the Ardennes last weekend - one of our number spotted this bright yellow and black creature basking on the tamac road.  Does anyone know what it is? And is it native or an escapee?   It looks like it belongs in a tropical rain forest

3 comments:

Nadine said...

beautiful shot of a fire salamander, subspecies Salamandra salamandra terrestris with two yellow interrupted bands showin on the back rather than yellow dots. did you see it during the day or in the evening? apparently the species with the bands occurs up to the Pyrenees from Switzerland, wereas the dotted subspecies occurs more in Eastern Europe. They can get very old, 20 years, in captivity even 50! and they eat slugs!!

Textual Healer said...

it was late afternoon - around 6.30
Which one do you think this is? Loking at this it seems to have dotted bands.

Textual Healer said...

i didn't notice that you said 'eats slugs': a useful friend to cultivate!!