I had a similar experience the other night when a spotted salamander crossing the road appeared to reverse direction and follow me (and my flashlight) to where I was processing a roadkill. Sample size of 1, but it did make me wonder at the time whether he was attracted to the light.
Jake
--- In vernalpool@yahoogroups.com, "Noah Charney" <ndcharney@...> wrote:
>
> Jim,
>
> Yes. And that's an interesting scene you describe. Some folks have suggested that the behavior is because when they're migrating they're trying to find the gap in the canopy where the pond is, and thus cuing in on light above them. This has been incorporated into road-tunnel designs: open tops, lighted ceilings. If you stand along a drift fence for a while with a flashlight, the salamanders will congregate near you. There's an outside light on a horse barn nearby where the Jefferson salamanders sit and gaze up just as you describe.
>
> -noah
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: vernalpool@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Jim
> Sent: Tue 4/5/2011 4:48 PM
> To: vernalpool@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [vernalpool] Salamanders and Lights
>
>
>
>
> Hi,
>
> Last night at 10:30 PM when arriving home from a meeting, I approached
> my back stairs, where my thoughtful wife had left the light on so I
> would not fall on my face, and there were 3 male spotted salamanders
> hanging out and looking up at the light.
>
> I have never seen this before and actually when I shine a light into a
> vernal pool with congressing salamanders, they all take off and seek
> refuge under the leaves.
>
> This light is fluorescent.
>
> Are salamanders attracted to lights?
>
> Jim
>
> PS, there were a lot of herps in the road on the drive back home at
> 10:30 PM in Ipswich and Topsfield.
>
> --
> Jim MacDougall
> 29 Campmeeting Road
> Topsfield, MA 01983
> 978-857-6826
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
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