While many amphibian species will begin hibernation during the fall, Marbled Salamanders (Ambystoma opacum) will actually be entering their breeding season. They will begin moving to breeding sites on rainy nights in early fall. You can look for them in low-lying swampy areas throughout Mecklenburg County. These black and white salamanders are approximately 3 ½ to 5 inches long.

Marbled Salamander.  Photo by Mike Dorcus.

Females will lay anywhere from 50-200 eggs in a low-lying depression. The depression will later fill with winter rains and the eggs will hatch. While waiting for the depression to be submerged, the female will often guard the nest by curling her body around the eggs. The Marbled Salamander, a member of the mole salamander family, is one of the earliest winter-breeding amphibians.

Eastern Mud Turtle. Photo by Mike Dorcus. 

As the days get shorter and the temperatures get cooler, many local reptiles will begin finding cozy spots to wait out the winter weather. One species, the Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum), typically begins hibernating towards the end of October. Mud turtles are an aquatic species that can be found in quiet waters of creeks, ponds, and lakes throughout Mecklenburg County. However, unlike most aquatic turtles, mud turtles will leave the water and overwinter on land.

Several species of bats may be found flying the skies throughout Mecklenburg County. These insect eating bats may be seen around sunset and throughout the night catching up to 1200 mosquito-sized insects a night. As the nights get cooler, most bats will become less active and begin hibernating. However, some local species of bats, such as the Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus), will actually mate before slowing down for the winter. These bats will mate during late fall through early winter. The young are then born the following spring or early summer, with each bat only producing one offspring at a time.

Big Brown Bat.  Photo courtesy Bat Conservation International.