Red Eft

While we were packing out (groan) from our Ohio trip, I had occasion to look down at the ground and discover a little friend in the grass. I was later informed it was a Red Eft, the terrestrial/juvenile stage of the Eastern Newt. I am not much for knowing about lizardy critters...I liked his spots, though, and he was friendly enough to hang out on my hand for a bit before I hauled his (tiny) butt over to the woods where he wouldn't get mooshed into oblivion by my big ol' feet (or Mum's, which may be smaller than mine but are still enormous to a Red Eft!). Sadly, I didn't get a photo of my little friend, as I was busy chatting with him about the dangers of scuttling through a camp in tear-down mode, but I found one on the Internet and "borrowed" it. Take a look:

Isn't that just the cutest little thing? The photo doesn't do it justice, either - those spots really pop! There are club kids who wish they could be that bright and 3-D!

Mum tried to coax the little fella onto her hand, but he (it could have been a she - I didn't ask and it's rude to look) was having none of it. He was maybe the length of my middle finger, if he'd straightened out at all...which he didn't, being a touch interested in scampering about my hands and occasionally leaping down to the ground and trying to get under foot again. After showing him to a few other interested folks, I set him in some leaf-litter and watched him hurry away - probably formulating the tale he would tell his fellow newts about the stinky, loud, obviously not very hungry giants out in the grassy place.