Learn how to herp safely, responsibly, and ethically while on CHS trips.
Eastern Box Turtle. Photo by Santi Tabares. This turtle was road cruised while birding in late spring/early summer, when many turtles have an increase in activity as females travel to find suitable habitat to lay their eggs. If you find a herp on a road and can safely move it, make sure to move it in the direction it was going.
Being careful and respectful around wild herps is extremely important. Putting any flipped cover back into place is one example of how we can minimize the impacts of herping, but it is far from the only way we can ensure we leave the ecosystem just as we found it.
Eastern Garter Snake. Photo by Santi Tabares. This garter snake was found in early spring under a rock on an exposed, south facing hill on a warm (65 F) partially sunny day. Be careful flipping cover objects, they can hide unseen dangers like wasp nests.
We offer a variety of club herping trips around campus and beyond to see all the herps of the Northeastern US. Trips can be roughly categorized into beginner, intermediate, and advanced herping depending on the intensity of the activity, amount of continuous time spent outdoors, and the rarity/conservation status of target species. For more advanced trips and those targeting rare species, we may prioritize bringing experienced members who have shown good herping conduct in the past.
Northern Black Racer with Snake Fungal Disease, Photo by Santi Tabares. Avoid holding snakes with extensive lesions, and be sure to wash hands after handling one to prevent spreading it further. Report SFD on iNaturalist
Mink Frog. Photo by Santi Tabares. Frogs and other amphibians have semi-permeable skin, and can absorb many harmful chemicals from our skin. Avoid picking up amphibians unless absolutely necessary, and disinfect gear between sites.
Jefferson Salamander. Photo by Santi Tabares. Jefferson salamanders tend to migrate earlier in spring than Spotted Salamanders, and can be found on colder nights (~40), sometimes moving across snow, or under ice! Learning more about herp targets is critical to actually finding them in the field
Eastern Copperhead, photo by Santi Tabares, found in a rock crack. Shining in cracks can be very effective, but be very mindful of potential dangers like venomous snakes before poking your head into a crack.
- Keep the locations secret. Not everyone cares for herps, and some people actively seek to harm them, especially in the case of snakes. Any iNaturalist observations from CHS trips, including observations of non-herps, must be obscured, and information shared via social media or in real life should always be very general rather than revealing the exact location of herps (ex: say "I saw a watersnake in Tompkins County" instead of "I saw a watersnake at Beebe Lake near the footbridge").
- Put all cover objects back exactly as they were found. This not only encourages herps to stay or return, but also minimizes impacts on the invertebrates that also reside there. Be mindful not to crush any critters underneath - move herps out from underneath, replace the rock, and put the herp next to the rock so it can crawl back underneath.
- Limit handling, especially of any amphibians. Wash hands between encounters to avoid spreading disease like Chytrid or Snake Fungal disease. Do not, under any circumstances, pick up a snake by its head (they have fragile skulls).
- CLEAN YOUR GEAR. Disinfect any and all gear when traveling from site to site, again to stop pathogens from spreading. Bleach baths or spray are best, but washing hands, alcohol spray and generally cleaning off shoes is good
- Communicate, and stay near the group. Please stay near a club officer at all times, we often do not have cell coverage
- Be mindful of others while photographing animals. Put the diffuser away until others have had a chance to look. Respect the herp, and keep in mind that we will release them promptly.
- Listen to officers. We do not want anyone getting lost, bitten by a venomous snake, or having fingers crushed under a rock.
- Flipping Cover. This involves checking under rocks, logs, and any object on the ground. Man-made wooden boards or tin also work very well. Flip away from you, so that any venomous snake or wasp nest does not erupt into your face. Depending on the species, you may want to flip in drier areas, or maybe completely underwater. Generally works better in cooler(60-70F), cloudy conditions.
- Hiking/Cruising. This just involves moving through habitat and hoping to find a herp either moving around or basking. Best in temperatures ~60-75 F on sunnier days.
- Dipnetting. Many herps are aquatic! Gently sweeping nets through leaf litter or under rocks may turn up a variety of amphibians.
- Rock Cracks. Herps love hiding in crevices! Shine with a flashlight and check all the corners. If it is warm and damp enough, many salamanders can be found this way, along with snakes and lizards.
- Amphibian Migration. Many amphibians migrate to breeding sites in early spring (although some do so in the fall) on warm (~50 F+) rainy nights. Be careful driving on roads, and be sure to move amphibians off the road in the direction they were heading. If you enter a forest, be very careful not to step on any salamanders! Do not enter vernal pools or disturb breeding herps in any way.
- Conditions are key! If the weather isn't good, the herps are likely not active
- Know the herp! Having an in depth knowledge of any herp you want to see will help you find the precise microhabitat they like to inhabit.
This organization is a registered student organization of Cornell University.
