You won’t find a much more delicate creature roaming the forest floor than the juvenile Eastern Newt, commonly known as the red eft. This little guy (gal?) was only about 2 in. (5cm) and very hard to miss, with such bright orange skin, as I was strolling along the trail. The adults are much less showy in color, and can reach a length of 5 in. (12.7 cm) and can live between 12 – 15 years in the wild.
Photographed on the same day as the Red Eft above, this Rose Pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides), a wild orchid found typically in fens and bogs. Also known as the snake mouthed orchid, this beautiful specimen was beautifully crowned with dew when I photographed it.
The clock is ticking…
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Your newt really looks like a dainty little creature 🙂 Loving your wild orchid too – orchid is my flower :). Damn this snow!!!. Re. your PS note: will I be disqualified if I vote for all of them? 😀
Thank you Paula. No you won’t be disqualified, but your name only goes in the drawing once. 😀
Nice flower,my favorite color.Thank you for sharing a picture. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Thanks Rimas. I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy and prosperous New Year!
I can’t understand why the baby newt is so flagrantly colored. Any clue? Surely it’s lousy camouflage.
One word Paul, poison. Though nowhere as toxic as the poison dart frog, they secrete a poison through their skin when threatened. I think the bright coloring of these guys is just Mother Nature’s poison warning label.
That was my guess but didn’t want to assume. Thanks!
I am discovering many types of strange orchids resembling other things and not flowers. This pink orchid looks like a butterfly and it’s beautiful.
It is amazing how many of them don’t look like your typical flower. There are several that grow in my area that I’ve yet to discover, the search continues…
Keep on photographing them, they are beautiful creations.
You won’t have to tell me twice 😉
☺
Love the Pogonia image. Nicely captured!
Thanks Rick.
just beautiful Jeff…that little guys is so colourful
Thanks Jo. If you haven’t already, check out the link in the post about them. The beauty sure fades as they grow to adulthood. That great orange color turns into a drab olive/brown.
Nice shots Jeff
Thanks a lot Jim!