Roamin Reptile Educational Lectures

08/04/2024

We would like to thank Delaware township/Dingsman Ferry PA for inviting us to their kid carnival yesterday.

07/18/2024

Only a week away before you can come out to see some of your favorite scaly friend's, we hope to see you there.

07/18/2024

Educating and enlightening this packed crowd about the positive roles reptiles play in our enviroment.

05/23/2024

05/21/2024

Cindy showing a willing participant one of our scaly animal ambassador's.

05/09/2024

Now for a limited time, make a donation of $20 or more at www.SaveOCWilderness.org and receive this iron-on patch as our thanks to you!

05/08/2024

A very Happy 98th Birthday to reptile advocate and conservationist Sir David Attenborough!

05/07/2024

A 16-kilometer-long elevated highway in India built to allow wild animals to peacefully pass underneath it ♥️
A Russian Miner Who Uses His Breaks To Photograph Arctic Foxes In Captivating Scenes➡️ https://ohnoworld.com/a-russian-miner-who-uses-his-breaks-to-photograph-arctic-foxes-in-captivating-scenes/

05/06/2024

Over the course of the past week, we have received many calls and messages about Spongy Moth and Tent Caterpillars in Orange County.

Spongy moth (formerly known as Gypsy moth) eggs are hatching and hundreds of larvae more commonly known as caterpillars are emerging. They disperse by ballooning or climbing to the top of the tree where they hatched dangling a silk thread in the air and letting wind carry them away. Once they are finished ballooning the caterpillars will feed for five or six weeks. Early on in development, caterpillars feed during the day. After about four weeks, they start to feed at night and climb down to hide under rough bark or in leaf litter during the day, possibly to avoid being eaten by birds. The larvae of the spongy moth take on their characteristic look with the blue and red dots down their back once they are about one week old, before that they look quite black. About 90% of the leaves consumed by a larva will be eaten in the last two instars. This is the reason it sometimes seems like trees are defoliated overnight!

Spongy moth caterpillars prefer oaks, apples, birches, poplars, and willows, butt will feed on many other deciduous and evergreen trees as well. A healthy tree can withstand some defoliation, so finding spongy moths on your property is serious but not necessarily the end for affected trees.

These caterpillars are covered with fine “hairs” (setae) that can cause both skin and respiratory irritation. Avoid touching caterpillars bare-handed; disposable gloves, forceps, or other tools are recommended to knock caterpillars into a container of soapy water. Setae can remain in clothing, so fabric gloves or clothes that have contacted spongy moths should be washed separately. If skin irritation occurs, consult a physician for advice on topical medications to relieve irritation.

Please see the following resources:

For more information about the Spongy Moth, visit https://cals.cornell.edu/new-york-state-integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/whats-bugging-you/spongy-moth

To learn more about the life cycle of the spongy moth, visit https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/spongymothinwisconsin/life-cycle-and-biology-3/life-cycle/

Information from 'Spongy Moth - University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension' and some ways to get rid of them safely:
https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/spongymothinwisconsin/

Photo Credit: E. Bradford Walker, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, Bugwood.org
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-pests-diseases/spongy-moth

05/06/2024

The spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) is an endangered small semi-aquatic species that is native to North America. At maturity, these little turtles only have a carapace length of around 3.1 to 4.7 inches. Like many turtles, spotted turtles are negatively impacted by habitat fragmentation and loss, and human activities, especially roadways.

Spotted turtles live in southern portions of Quebec and Ontario in Canada, and near the Great Lakes, and most of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, from Maine through Florida in the United States.
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The photograph used in this post shows a spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) on a mossy log. The photo was taken by iNaturalist user eschertler, and shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0 Deed) license. The image was not altered for use in this post.

05/05/2024

We are fascinated and credit the researchers who observed a male Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) named Rakus self-treating his facial wound using a biologically active plant.

The biologists from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Germany, and Universitas Nasional, Indonesia, say this is the first systematically documented case of active wound treatment with a plant species known to contain biologically active substances by a wild animal.

The study took place in the Gunung Leuser National Park in South Aceh, Indonesia. On June 22, 2022, the research team first noticed that Rakus had a fresh wound on his right fl**ge and inside his mouth.

On June 25, Rakus selectively ripped off leaves of a liana with the common name Akar Kuning (Fibraurea tinctoria), chewed on them, and then repeatedly applied the resulting juice onto his wound. Lastly, he entirely covered the wound with the chewed leaves. By June 30, the wound was closed; by August 25, it was barely visible.

We highly recommend reading the original article here:
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-58988-7

Laumer, I.B., Rahman, A., Rahmaeti, T. et al. Active self-treatment of a facial wound with a biologically active plant by a male Sumatran orangutan. Sci Rep 14, 8932 (2024).

05/01/2024

Happy Nesting Season! 🐢🐢🐢 And a reminder that no flashlights also means no bright lights from phones on the beach at night! 🤳🚫

05/01/2024

This snake had disappeared from New Jersey for half a century. It’s back!

Queen snake ( Regina septemvittata) rediscovered in New Jersey!

https://www.inquirer.com/science/rare-queen-snake-new-jersey-found-20240422.html

04/29/2024

Sometimes in life you have those moments you realize that you can't just keep taking from nature it is now time to give something back.

04/19/2024

Yes everything on this earth serves a purpose whether or not if we know what that purpose is.

04/16/2024

Congratulations to the USFWS New York Field Office’s very own Noelle Rayman-Metcalf for being the 2024 recipient of the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation’s (PARC’s) Alison Haskell Award for Excellence in Herpetofaunal Conservation!

Noelle was honored for her years of contribution to hellbender and bog turtle conservation, including her leadership in a slew of organizations which include National PARC, Northeast PARC, the PARC Turtle Networking Team, and the Collaborative to Combat the Illegal Trade in Turtles. Noelle is also dedicated to habitat restoration, education, and advocating for diversity and inclusion in herpetology by serving as a mentor. Her efforts have inspired others and supported the conservation of many species throughout her career. Well done, Noelle!

04/11/2024

04/09/2024

This is not good

Raillietiella orientalis can infect other species during the course of its life cycle including fishes, amphibians, and mammals.

04/06/2024

04/05/2024

Shop the Best Deals on Open Box Items - Deeply Discounted and As Good As New! Final Sale, As Is Condition - No Refunds Offered. Limited Stock Available!

04/04/2024

We will be OPEN Monday, April 8th from 10-4!

Join us Monday for Pancakes for Pancake Tortoises anytime between 10 and 12! RREC will be selling pancakes to raise money for pancake tortoise conservation. No RSVP necessary!

All pancake proceeds benefit the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. Read more about their work with pancake torts here: https://www.lewa.org/ongoing-research-for-the-critically-endangered-pancake-tortoise/