{"id":9686,"date":"2017-08-28T07:00:36","date_gmt":"2017-08-28T11:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=9686"},"modified":"2017-08-24T09:06:24","modified_gmt":"2017-08-24T13:06:24","slug":"take-5-neat-newts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-neat-newts\/","title":{"rendered":"Take 5: Neat Newts"},"content":{"rendered":"

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!<\/p>\n

The creature commonly called the red or orange “eft” is actually the Eastern newt <\/a>(Notophthalmus viridescens<\/em>) in the second of its three lifecycle phases. It begins as a fully aquatic creature with gills, then enters the “eft” stage where it is most commonly encountered by hikers due to its bright red or orange skin. Eventually, it will return to the water as an adult and assume a more demure yellow and green color palette.<\/p>\n

Efts aren’t just showing off\u00a0with their bright, flashy colors. Their orange skin sends a signal to would-be predators: “Warning! Extremely poisonous!” So while they seem to stick out like a sore thumb on the forest floor, they are far from defenseless. Learn more<\/a> about salamander behavior and life cycles on our website.<\/p>\n

Here are five photos of red efts from past\u00a0editions of our Picture This photo contest<\/a>. The 2017 contest is open now, so enter your wildlife and nature photographs today!<\/p>\n

\"Eastern

Eastern Newt\/Red Eft \u00a9 Dawn Puliafico<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Eastern

Eastern Newt\/Red Eft \u00a9 Roberta Dell Anno<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Eastern

Eastern Newt\/Red Eft \u00a9 Patricia Wolfe<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Eastern

Eastern Newt\/Red Eft \u00a9 Ladislav Honsa<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Eastern

Eastern Newt\/Red Eft \u00a9 Amy Harley<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 the second of its three […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":9696,"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":[],"class_list":["post-9686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-take-5"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/08\/395Dawn_Puliafico9599_fi.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-2we","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13951,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-red-efts\/","url_meta":{"origin":9686,"position":0},"title":"Take 5: Red Efts","author":"Ryan D.","date":"May 4, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"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\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 \u00a9 Allison Bell","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/05\/4497Allison_Bell19806.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/05\/4497Allison_Bell19806.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/05\/4497Allison_Bell19806.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/05\/4497Allison_Bell19806.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12253,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-2018-photo-contest-honorable-mentions\/","url_meta":{"origin":9686,"position":1},"title":"Take 5: 2018 Photo Contest Honorable Mentions","author":"Ryan D.","date":"January 29, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"This year, more than 4,000 images were submitted in the Mass Audubon\u00a0Picture This:\u00a0Your\u00a0Great\u00a0Outdoors\u00a0photo contest\u2014another record year!\u00a0It wasn't easy to determine the winners with so many incredible entries, but thankfully we always allow for a handful of Honorable Mentions outside of the main categories so we can highlight some of our\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Indigo Bunting \u00a9 Amy Powers-Smith","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/01\/2795Amy_PowersSmith22956_750.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\/01\/2795Amy_PowersSmith22956_750.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/01\/2795Amy_PowersSmith22956_750.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/01\/2795Amy_PowersSmith22956_750.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13290,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-things-are-looking-up\/","url_meta":{"origin":9686,"position":2},"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":5492,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/surprising-animal-color-variations\/","url_meta":{"origin":9686,"position":3},"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":6308,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-arcadia-wildlife-sanctuary\/","url_meta":{"origin":9686,"position":4},"title":"Take 5: Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary","author":"Rosemary","date":"October 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"In the coming weeks we'll be featuring beautiful, surprising, and intriguing portraits of our wildlife sanctuaries that were captured by past participants in our Photo Contest. Here are five images from Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary\u00a0in Easthampton and Northampton.","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/10\/Martin-Espinola-2013.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\/10\/Martin-Espinola-2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/10\/Martin-Espinola-2013.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2283,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/whats-growing-on-that-red-cedar\/","url_meta":{"origin":9686,"position":5},"title":"What’s Growing on That Red Cedar?","author":"Stu","date":"May 28, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Perhaps the strangest things that you might see each spring are the bright orange globs hanging in the eastern red cedar trees. They look a bit like orange marmalade being pushed through a garlic press. Moist to the touch and about the size of a golf ball, these ornaments adorning\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\/2013\/05\/cedarfungus.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\/9686","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=9686"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9686\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9709,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9686\/revisions\/9709"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}