{"id":13951,"date":"2020-05-04T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-04T10:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=13951"},"modified":"2020-05-04T12:58:08","modified_gmt":"2020-05-04T16:58:08","slug":"take-5-red-efts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-red-efts\/","title":{"rendered":"Take 5: Red Efts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After a spring rainstorm, it can seem like the forest is carpeted with fiery-orange Red Efts as they emerge from their hiding places under logs and leaf litter. Efts are actually the juvenile, terrestrial stage of the Eastern Newt’s unusual 3-part life cycle: They begin their lives in the water as tadpoles, shed their gills and spend several years on land as Red Efts, and eventually (for reasons that scientists are still trying to understand) return to the water as adults, transformed to an olive green color with a yellow belly. They are said to be capable of living up to 15 years!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red Efts are not exactly masters of camouflage: Their striking color, which can range from yellow-orange to brick red, is an example of “aposematism” or warning coloration\u2014it sends a signal to potential predators that they don’t make a very good snack, due to their toxic skin secretions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although their toxic skin protects them from most predators, it is also very porous, making them susceptible to environmental toxins, including sunscreen and bug spray. So if you happen upon a Red Eft in a vulnerable place and want to move it to a safer spot, avoid touching it directly with your hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy these five photos of Red Efts\/Eastern Newts from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors<\/a> photo contest and learn more about salamander species of Massachusetts<\/a> on our website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Red
Red Eft \u00a9 Allison Bell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Red
Red Eft \u00a9 Anna Mitchell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Red
Red Eft \u00a9 Emerson Booth<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Red
Red Eft \u00a9 Jenn Janaitis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Red
Red Eft \u00a9 Criss Nickoloff<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After a spring rainstorm, it can seem like the forest is carpeted with fiery-orange Red Efts as they emerge from their hiding places under logs and leaf litter. Efts are actually the juvenile, terrestrial stage of the Eastern Newt’s unusual 3-part life cycle: They begin their lives in the water as tadpoles, shed their gills […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":13959,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[158],"tags":[257,83,84,88],"class_list":["post-13951","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-take-5","tag-herps","tag-photo-contest","tag-photography","tag-salamanders"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/05\/4497Allison_Bell19806.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-3D1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9686,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-neat-newts\/","url_meta":{"origin":13951,"position":0},"title":"Take 5: Neat Newts","author":"Ryan D.","date":"August 28, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Shy, secretive salamanders can be hard to find. But on rainy days, hikers and forest walkers may just spot a particular orange amphibian crawling through leaf litter\u2014and it's not the least bit bashful! The creature commonly called the red or orange \"eft\" is actually the Eastern newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red Eft (Eastern Newt) \u00a9 Dawn Puliafico","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/08\/395Dawn_Puliafico9599_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/08\/395Dawn_Puliafico9599_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/08\/395Dawn_Puliafico9599_fi.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5492,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/surprising-animal-color-variations\/","url_meta":{"origin":13951,"position":1},"title":"Surprising Animal Color Variations","author":"Rosemary","date":"June 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Every now and then you might see an animal that looks like a member of a familiar species, but with a twist: it\u2019s much darker or lighter than normal. What\u2019s the story behind this unusual coloration? Melanism Eastern chipmunks are known for their stripes, but this all-black animal is the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/05\/waxwingorange.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/05\/waxwingorange.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/05\/waxwingorange.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6186,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/last-month-in-birding-august-2015\/","url_meta":{"origin":13951,"position":2},"title":"Last Month in Birding: August 2015","author":"Rosemary","date":"September 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Here we feature\u00a0five of the past month's exciting bird sightings as suggested by our experts.\u00a0This time\u00a0we're highlighting offshore wonders: pelagic birds, including four species spotted on an incredible Brookline Bird Club pelagic trip to the continental shelf edge that took place on August 22-23. (For those who are new to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/09\/stormpetrel.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/09\/stormpetrel.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/09\/stormpetrel.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13290,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-things-are-looking-up\/","url_meta":{"origin":13951,"position":3},"title":"Take 5: Things Are Looking Up","author":"Ryan D.","date":"November 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Things are really looking up these days...or at the very least, these photographers are! This week's Take 5 features photos of the forest canopy, all of which were submitted in the past to our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest. The 2019 photo contest is now closed, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Looking up at a colorful canopy of red, orange, and yellow leaves against a bright blue sky \u00a9 Lian Bruno","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/11\/1910LianBruno8035.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/11\/1910LianBruno8035.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/11\/1910LianBruno8035.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/11\/1910LianBruno8035.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":989,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/the-science-behind-foliage\/","url_meta":{"origin":13951,"position":4},"title":"The Science Behind Foliage","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"October 11, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"By now, we're well into foliage season, and many of us have likely done some leaf peeping, as it is shaping up to be a year of spectacular colors (see Foliage Forecast below for why). When you\u2019re checking out nature\u2019s painterly display, do you ever wonder why the leaves change\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/10\/NicoleLemay.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4406,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/odd-ducks\/","url_meta":{"origin":13951,"position":5},"title":"Odd Ducks","author":"Rosemary","date":"December 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Some of nature\u2019s most colorful waterfowl visit our lakes, rivers, and shores during the colder months. Here are five stylish ducks to watch out for. Northern shoveler Anas clypeata One glance at this duck\u2019s enormous spatula-shaped bill \u2014used for straining prey from the water\u2014and you\u2019ll see why people call it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Northern shoveler \u00a9 Kristin Foresto","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/11\/shoveler-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13951","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13951"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13951\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13962,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13951\/revisions\/13962"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13951"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13951"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13951"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}