I found this little fella in the greenhouse. I don’t like to move wildlife unnecessarily, but I was afraid he wouldn’t survive the Big Spring Clean. It also gave me the opportunity to have a closer look which inspired me to find out a little bit more about newts...
Who knew!? Newts can regenerate their limbs and even parts of their organs such as their heart or spinal cord. Handy if you come off badly in a scuffle.
This little chap is a smooth newt, also known as a common newt, which is a species of amphibian found throughout Europe and parts of Asia. Amphibians start out as aquatic larvae (tadpoles) before metamorphosing into land dwelling adults.
Smooth newts live in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and wetlands and are primarily nocturnal, spending most of the day hiding under rocks, logs, or in vegetation (or in my greenhouse) to avoid predators. They like to eat a variety of invertebrates, including worms, insects, and snails.
Newts are important indicators of environmental health. They are sensitive to changes in water quality and habitat, so their presence, or absence can be used to assess the health of aquatic ecosystems.
Look out for the males during breeding season when they develop a wavy crest along their backs, bright orange belly and webbed hind feet, which they use to attract the ladies.
The hard working female smooth newts can lay up to 400 eggs in a single breeding season, which they attach to the underside of leaves or other objects in the water.