Red eft

Eastern newts (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens) have three stages of life: the aquatic larva or tadpole, the red eft (terrestrial adult stage), and the aquatic adult. The larva possesses gills and does not leave the pond environment where it was hatched. Larvae are brown-green in color, and shed their gills when they transform into the terrestrial red eft. The red eft is bright orange-red in color, with darker red spots outlined in black. An eastern newt can have as many as 21 of these spots. The pattern of these spots differs among the subspecies. After two or three years, the red eft begins to transform into the aquatic adult. The adult's skin is olive green, but retains the eft's characteristic outlined red spots. It has a larger and wider tail and characteristically slimy skin. At home in coniferous and deciduous forests, eastern newts need a moist environment with either a temporary or permanent water source, and thrive best in a muddy environment.

During the eft stage, they may travel far from their original location. Red efts may often be seen in a forest after a rainstorm. Wild eastern newts eat a variety of foods such as insects, small mollusks and crustaceans, young amphibians and frog eggs. I took this image in spring 2006 on my Dad's farm in south-central Virginia on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I used a Nikon D200 and Sigma 150mm HSM EX macro lens, handheld with a little fill-flash from my Nikon SB800.