During the next couple of weeks, little pools of water in forested areas will be alive with the sounds of frogs. They’re gathering places for all kinds of critters who need these temporary shallow ...

On a spring hike in the woods, one sure way to amaze a child (or a grownup!) is to discover a red eft along the trail. Glowing red-orange in the leaf litter, these tiny creatures light up the forest ...

If you’re not looking for vernal pools, you might never even know they’re here. These temporary wetlands appear in Michigan forests each spring, only to disappear a few weeks later. In that short span ...

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - MSU Extension Forestry and Natural Resources Educator Anna Ellis stopped by the TV6 studio Tuesday morning to talk about salamander habitats. When salamanders migrate, Ellis ...

The lifecycle of the spotted salamander. Have you checked out a vernal pool this spring? The Something Wild team discovers the surprising symbiotic relationship between salamanders and algae. Enjoy ...

When the Northwoods begin to thaw, whimsical creatures like fairy shrimp and spotted salamanders quietly come to life in Michigan’s vernal pools. It’s on us to keep it that way. The water is still—a ...

From a distance, a vernal pool doesn’t look like much: Just a shallow, murky pond, sometimes no bigger than a bedroom, with soggy edges surrounded by the still-brown woods of early Michigan springtime ...

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2022. With spring underway, it’s time to take a look at an ecosystem that only lasts for a short period of time called a vernal pool. These bodies ...