Ty's Articles
Ty gives ID tips, talks about issues, shares some pointers, as well as debunks myths all while trying to answer your herp questions. Ty tries hard to separate facts from his opinions (usually quite directly explaining what is fact and opinion), and each article is very different based on the topics.
I hope you find my articles educational, though provoking, and most of all fun. This is my chance to more casually talk about issues in herpetology, while keeping it all fairly down-to-earth. I try to stay as scientifically accurate as possible, but I am human, so if you see a mistake, contact us. - Ty Smith
Alien Globs are Coming to a Forest Near You! - Sorta...
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Have you ever seen a strange, gelatinous blob in or near a puddle in the forest while hiking in January-March? People see this all of the time and post them on Facebook hoping someone can tell them what it is, but often they don't get a clear answer. So what are these globs, and why aren't they alien or dangerous?
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Best Virginia Native Plants for Eastern Box Turtles
Eastern Diamonback Rattlesnakes and Carolina Pygmy Rattlers in Virginia?
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I am sure you have seen this post of a Diamondback Rattlesnake found in a flowerpot near your hometown. What if I told you that wasn't the only exotic Rattlesnake reported in Virginia one month? So, what is going on here and should we be worried? Well, we have the scoop on these stories... and here is why they are obviously hoaxes.
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How to Use Guides to Identify Reptiles and Amphibians
It is Safe to Go Back in the Soil
Let's Make a Deal on Cornsnakes
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Do you or a friend have one or more Cornsnakes? They are quite popular pets amongst many animal lovers. Most people probably assume the regulations for these animals are quite similar to other snakes, like Ball Pythons. Being a native animal, they are actually regulated by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Do you know the regulations on Cornsnakes? How strict are these regulations? Should these regulations change?
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Plestiodon Skinks -- Getting it Right!
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Have you ever been told that you can only ID these skinks from counting the scales on their lips called supralabials (labials)? I am sure you have heard of this, but what if I told you that was wrong and probably the worst way to ID these lizards. Well, its the truth... There is no scientific bases for this technique and it honestly sucks! So, this is the truth about skinks.
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Potential New Dusky Species in Virginia
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A new paper dropped that discusses several new "mito-nuclear candidate species" of Desmognathus salamanders, hybridization, and more genetic information found in their study that spanned multiple states. This paper would take the 22 known Desmognathus species and offer a new total of 47. What does this mean for our local species?
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Understanding Toad Identification
What is a Species...
What is a Toad? (for Those who are Smart Enough to Know They Don't Know Everything)
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I get a lot of questions, and I can answer most of these questions. One question I get a lot is, "What is the difference between a frog and a toad?" This is a hard question to answer, and if you think know the answer, you probably need to read this article. So, join my search in the depth of Anurans, taxonomy, evolutionary biology, psychology, philosophy, and linguistics to solve the question of: What is a toad?
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