Central Newt

I'm new to this forum, I live in Chicago. Because of a recent increase of interest in amphibians of Chicagoland, I would like to get photos of N. v. louisianensis. I would like to add all of the relatively common species of salamander in the Chicago area to my list. Central newts are abundant enough for an amateur like myself to find in Northern Illinois. The problem is - I know very little about their habits, and there is very limited info on the net regarding such. Assuming I find Breeding ponds and suitable habitat, does anyone have any tips on finding the creatures? Would I be best served to dipnet, if so what time of year and how do I go about it without damaging any microhabitat in the pond? Should I look for terrestrial adults under cover objects? I have read that aquatic adults are rare in central newts, but that depends on the area within their range. I have also read that populations in Chicagoland skip the eft stage. Any information would be very helpful.





Thank you for reading/responding.

[Tim Johnson]

You can find aquatic adults near or in the water in a pond or creek. They hide in the vegetation at the water's edge. My brother once found an adult red-spotted newt swimming under ice, so the same thing for a Central Newt. Efts and terrestrial adults are found under flat rocks and woodland debris in moist forests.