California Newt, Taricha torosa Family Newt (Salamandridae) Size 3" snout to vent, 6" total length Breeding Dec-Jan with heavy rains Food Worms, snails, slugs and small insects Habitat Wet forests, oak forests, chaparral, rolling grasslands     The bright orange color of the california newt is a warning to potential predators. Poisonous neurotoxins are widespread throughout the newt's body and can cause death if consumed by most animals -- including humans. When threatened, the newt will assume a distinctive defensive posture that exposes its brightly colored underbelly to show warning. California newts eat worms, snails, slugs and small insects -- including mosquito larvae. Due to their toxicity, these newts have few natural predators; garter snakes are one. Eggs are laid as a spherical mass on submerged vegetation or stones. They incubate for 14-52 days. Aquatic larvae hatch in the spring and live in ponds and streams throughout the spring and summer. The larve transform, grow legs, lose their gills, and begin to live on the land at the end of summer or in early fall. During dry periods of the summer, the terrestrial adults find moist habitats in woody debris, rock crevises, etc. With heavy rains typically in December or January, adult newts head for the breeding pools from which they hatched to start the cycle anew. [1-edited] caption: file: x - square 0" x 0" at 300 dpi - release: contact us regarding image add image to lightbox References [1]http://www.californiaherps.com/salamanders/pages/t.t.torosa.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_newt Alden, Peter, and Fred Heath. National Audubon Society Field Guide to California. New York: Knopf, 1998.