Common Insects, Amphibians and Reptiles

Insects: Dragonflies

They feed on mosquitoes, midges, black flies, and other small insects.

Dragonflies use their great speed and agility, plus excellent eyesight, to capture their prey in the mid air.

Insects: Damselfly

Found mainly near shallow, freshwater habitats and are graceful fliers with slender bodies and long, filmy, net-veined wings.

2,600 species

Dragonfly vs. Damselfly

Dragonfly

Most have eyes that touch or nearly touch.

Usually stocky

Wings held open, horizontally or downwards.

Damselfly• Eyes are clearly separated,

usually appearing on each side of the head

• Usually long and slender• Wings held closed, usually

over abdomen

Dragon Fly vs. Damselfly

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Honeybee

Queen, worker, drone.

Beeswax: Secreted from glands, beeswax is used by the honeybee to build honey comb. It is used by humans in drugs, cosmetics, artists' materials, furniture polish and candles.

HoneyHoney is used by the bees for food all year round. There are many types, colors and flavors of honey, depending upon its nectar source. The bees make honey from the nectar they collect from flowering trees and plants. Honey is an easily digestible, pure food. Honey is hydroscopic and has antibacterial qualities. Eating local honey can fend off allergie

Wasp

There are around 75,000 recognized species of wasp worldwide that grow to around 2/3 inch long.

Not all wasps can sting though but those that can often die once they have used their sting has it is joined onto their rear end of often becomes dislodged. When a wasp dies it releases a smell (called a pheromone) which warns the other wasps of danger and that it needs help.

Bumblebee

The "Bumble Bee" is a big, hairy, black and yellow bee whose size can range from 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch. 

This insect is often mistaken for a carpenter bee, which closely resembles the bumble bee in appearance.  Carpenter bees have a shiny and smooth abdomen as opposed to the fuzzy abdomen seen on a bumble bee.

Butterflies

Monarch

Viceroy

Cabbage

American Lady

Monarch

Viceroy

Monarch vs. Viceroy

WingsThe coloring and pattern of monarch and viceroy wings look nearly identical. However, a viceroy has a black line crossing the postmedian hindwing.

Viceroys are smaller than monarchs, although this size difference may be difficult to see in the field.

Cabbage Butterfly

American Lady

Amphibians vs. Reptiles

Amphibians: Living two lives (on land as well as in water). Usually stay near water sources to prevent drying

out and have smooth skin. Gills and lungs Cold-blooded External fertilization Smooth, moist and sometimes sticky skin. Laden

with mucous glands Soft, gel surrounding their eggs without any hard

covering.

Amphibians vs. Reptiles

Reptiles: Animals that breathe air, have scales on their bodies and lay eggs. Lungs Cold-blooded Dry and scaly. Scales are made of keratin. Skin is

found underneath the scales. Internal fertilization Amniotic egg, have hard leather eggs laid on land of

they keep eggs in their bodies until they hatch.

Amphibians

Frog

Toad

Newts

Salamanders

Amphibians-Frogs and Toad

Wood Frog

Spring Peeper

Leopard Frog

Pickerel Frog

Fowler’s Toad

Wood Frog

The Wood Frog is most easily recognized by its "robber mask." This black band stretches past both eyes to the eardrums.

Wood Frogs also have dorsolateral ridges, two raised lines running down their back.

This frog has a white belly.

The Wood Frog is a common frog found near water, or far from water, in the woods.

Call: A duck like "quack," some describe it as "a lot of chuckling."

Spring Peeper

Spring Peepers are small frogs that grow less than an inch and a half long.

They can be tan or gray or dark brown, but they all have a dark "X" on their backs.

They breed from March to June, and in early March you can hear male Spring Peepers calling for mates. Many people think they are crickets.

Spring Peepers are nocturnal, so they are most active at night

Leopard Frog

Leopard frogs are from 5 to 11.1 cm long. They are green or greenish-brown dorsally, with round, brown spots arranged on their back, sides, and legs.

 Wet meadows, grassy pond and lake edges. May wander well away from water after breeding season.

Info/Call

On the threated list

Pickerel Frog

Pollution-free waters: grassy edged streams, bogs, clear ponds. Prefers cooler waters than Leopard Frog.

The Pickerel frog is a relatively large frog that is often confused with the Northern Leopard Frog. However, the Pickerel frog has chocolate-brown spots arranged in two rows between the dorsolateral folds while the Leopard frog's spots are more irregular and scattered.

They can be distinguished by the bright yellow or yellow-orange color on the inside concealed surface of the thigh. Leopard frogs are white in the same area

Fowler’s Toad

Woodlands, often with sandy soil, such as Lake Michigan dune woodlands

 It has 3 or more warts within each dark spot on its back.  

 When it is attacked, Fowler's toad can excrete a toxin on its back that can make small predators sick

Amphibians: Blue-Spotter Salamander

This salamander found throughout Michigan is common in moist deciduous hardwood areas and swamp woodlands, preferably with access to vernal ponds.

Their feet have relatively long toes 

The Blue-spotted salamander is a carnivore. The adult eats worms, snails, slugs, insects, centipedes, spiders and other invertebrates

Reptile

Snakes

Lizards

Crocodiles

Turtles

Reptiles: Snakes

Eastern Garter Snake

Butler’s Garter Snake

Northern Ribbon Snake

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

Eastern Garter Snake

It grows up to four feet long. It's color patterns can vary, but it almost always has three yellow stripes.

Usually there is a checkerboard pattern of dark spots between the stripes.

These snakes are usually found near water or moist places, including marshes, streams, damp woods, wet meadows, parks, gardens, weed patches, farms, and forest edges.

Butler’s Garter Snake

Butler's Garter Snakes prefer moist meadows, marshes, and lake edges.

A small black, brown, or olive snake with three distinct yellow stripes down the back and a yellowish belly. Some specimens have dark spots between the stripes. The dark head is very small.

Northern Ribbon Snake

 Very slender black or brown snake with three bright yellow or white stripes down the back. The head is black, though the scales above and below the mouth are white.

Their diet includes frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, and small fish.

**White mark in front of the eye**

Eastern Massasuga Rattlesnake

Michigan's only venomous snake is a rare sight for most state residents.

The massasauga can be characterized as a shy, sluggish snake. Its thick body is colored with a pattern of dark brown slightly rectangular patches set against a light gray-to-brown background. Occasionally, this coloration can be so dark as to appear almost black

Eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes eat small mammals, amphibians and insects

Reptiles-Lizard: Five Lined Skink

Most common lizard.

They grow up to eight inches long, with males growing slightly larger than females.

They are usually black or dark brown, with five light stripes down their backs. Stripes fade as the skink gets older, so adults may look all brown

Turtles

Snapping Turtle

Spotted Turtle

Painted Turtle

Snapping Turtle

Spotted Turtle

Painted Turtle