Field Notes 10 Aug 2023: Mind the Hornets!

A lesser known danger of herping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is accidentally agreeing with a colony of hornets concerning what constitutes a good cover object. 

We were quite startled when we disturbed them looking for Plethodon just outside Gregory Cave near John Oliver’s Cabin in Cades Cove, but luckily avoided getting stung by politely exiting their property when asked and waiting until they’d calmed down before claiming an easement through to the cave itself. Ben had come to expect to be able to find a lone slimy salamander (P. glutinosus/teyahalee) when visiting Gregory Cave, but we lucked out; it had rained rather a lot the day before, and we were pleased to encounter a full five slimies in the unusually damp space, four juveniles and one subadult. We also found a Eurycea longicauda in the leaf litter, but evidently, someone else found it first, because it was very dead and not entirely whole. 

Slimies tend to be rather elusive, so we were enthused with this sample size. Hopefully the tissue samples collected will be informative to the Fitzpatrick lab’s ongoing research concerning species boundaries within this complex of salamanders.

• Rebecca T. Chastain and Benjamin Fitzpatrick

The view back from just inside Gregory Cave. Salamanders can often be found in this "twilight zone."

Juvenile slimy salamander ... most likely Plethodon glutinosus.