06/04/2026
Watch your step while exploring Johnsonburg Swamp Preserve this time of year — you'll likely be sharing the trails with the red‑spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens). Because of the warmer temperatures and increased humidity, late spring is one of the most active times of year for juvenile red-spotted newts, also called red efts. Movement and foraging activities of red efts correlate with rainy weather; they are most active during rainy periods when it is warmer than 53º F, while they tend to hide under leaf litter during dry weather.
Juvenile and adult red-spotted newts are largely different in appearance. Notice the difference between the first two photos and the third; red efts have bright orange bodies with a thin, bony tail, while adults are olive green or brown, with a wider, flattened tail.
These dramatic differences reflect the red-spotted newt's four distinctive life stages; egg, aquatic larva, terrestrial eft and aquatic adult. After spending three to four years roaming the forest floor as terrestrial efts, the juveniles eventually return to the water and transform into fully aquatic adults. This remarkable life cycle is one of the reasons the red‑spotted newt is such a standout among North American amphibians.
