by Frank Deschandol 
All pictures © Frank Deschandol & Philippe Sabine
by Frank Deschandol
All pictures © Frank Deschandol & Philippe Sabine
Short trip of about one week at the end of July 2008. This trip was especially dedicated to find Calotriton arnoldi in Spain, and to make some new pictures of Salamandra atra in Switzerland and Salamandra lanzai in Italy.
I looked also for insects like butterflies etc., thus, it was difficult to see a lot of species of other reptiles and amphibians… All the more so that the sun was practically shining every time with too warm temperatures in the daytime.
As usual, I was alone, autonomous, sleeping inside my car, and avoiding as much as possible the touristic places with a lot of people (very difficult everywhere in July).
First day, at Montseny, the landscape was already rather dry with only a few brooks with water in the interesting area. I started to examine each brooks in the dark and in the third, I found quickly 2 males of Calotriton arnoldi and a young one.
Calotriton arnoldi
same
other
a juvenile
Then, I drove back towards South East of France. The first reptile was a very young Anguis fragilis near Manosque and one Podarcis muralis, but I was there for Hyles nicaea, a rare Sphingidae, so no more herp. (In the night with a mercury vapor lamp, I catched the latter with Deilephila porcellus, a very big female of Laothoe populi, Marumba quercus and Sphinx maurorum).
young Anguis fragilis
Polyphylla fullo, male
caterpillar, final instar of Hyles euphorbiae
Next stop to the Mont Viso, onto Italian side. After sundown, I climbed the mountain and inspected a small area near a path. Here, I found 6 Salamandra lanzai males and females ; I stopped my nocturnal prospecting to reach the Switzerland early the next day.
Salamandra lanzai
same
another one crushed on the path
Short hike in the mountains, in the Martigny region, always above all for insects but nevertheless with 3 black Vipera aspis atra and 2 Anguis fragilis.
Vipera aspis atra
same
Anguis fragilis
other female
Aporia crataegi
At a famous place close to Bex, by day, I turned some stones and discovered first a female of Salamandra atra. After about one hour, I had caught a total of 5 Salamanders and 2 young... Also a lot of Ichthyosaura alpestris alpestris and a female of Zootoca vivipara vivipara.
Salamandra atra
same
other
juvenile
Ichthyosaura alpestris alpestris
other
other
Finally, I visited a nice spot in France near Pontarlier for Vipera berus. At about 800 m next to a peat bog, a part of this population is pitch black.
I arrived in the evening, under a very strong storm. I found a lot of DOR & alive amphibians : Lissotriton helveticus, Bufo bufo bufo, Rana temporaria, Rana kl. esculenta and Rana dalmatina. I tried to pick up all animals I saw to save them, but obviously it was too much for me.
The day after, with better weather I found (only) one snake in the morning, but I was stopped by a bite through my thick leather gloves... A big surprise, indeed it's the first time a such a thing has happened. I finished quickly to take the pictures of the beast and extirpate most of the venom by pressure on my finger. Twenty minutes later I was Ok to continue herping, but without success.
Lissotriton helveticus
other
Vipera berus hidden among the vegetation
same
again
... and again the same
Go back home to Le Havre, end of the trip… but ready for the next !
Reptiles (3) :
Anguis fragilis
Vipera aspis atra
Zootoca vivipara vivipara
Amphibiens (8) :
Pelophylax kl. esculenta
Rana dalmatina
Rana temporaria
Bufo bufo bufo
Ichthyosaura alpestris alpestris
Lissotriton helveticus
Calotriton arnoldi
Salamandra lanzai
Total = 11 sp.