American Toad
Anaxyrus americanus
83 local records · peak May
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Alex Shure, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Alex Shure
Nature
Reptiles & amphibians
30 species of reptiles and amphibians — the spring frog chorus peaks in April and May.
In early spring, wood frogs, spring peepers and chorus frogs call from flooded woods before the ice is fully gone. Painted turtles bask on logs from April to September, and the river holds map turtles, snapping turtles and spiny softshells. Garter snakes are common; the western foxsnake and hognose snake are harmless species that sometimes startle hikers. Minnesota’s Blanding’s turtle, a threatened species, has also been recorded nearby.
Naturalists have logged 30 species of reptiles & amphibians within 10 km of the village. The most species are recorded in May. Below are the 26 species with at least two research-grade records, most-recorded first.
Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta
72 local records · peak June
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Susan Elliott, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Susan Elliott
Northern Leopard Frog
Lithobates pipiens
66 local records · peak July
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Stylurus, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
Green Frog
Lithobates clamitans
60 local records · peak July
JFMAMJJASOND(c) suburbirder, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by suburbirder
Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
46 local records · peak May
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Mark Kluge, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mark Kluge
Common Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina
35 local records · peak June
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Alyssa Harvey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Alyssa Harvey
Wood Frog
Lithobates sylvaticus
30 local records · peak May
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Ty Smith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ty Smith
Spring Peeper
Pseudacris crucifer
26 local records · peak September
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Bruce J. Mohn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Bruce J. Mohn
Red-bellied Snake
Storeria occipitomaculata
26 local records · peak October
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Jonathan Gagnon, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jonathan Gagnon
Boreal Chorus Frog
Pseudacris maculata
20 local records · peak April
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Dan MacNeal, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Dan MacNeal
Gray Treefrog
Dryophytes versicolor
19 local records · peak May
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Todd Pierson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
Eastern Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos
18 local records · peak May
JFMAMJJASOND(c) evangrimes, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by evangrimes
Northern Map Turtle
Graptemys geographica
18 local records · peak June
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Peter Paplanus, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Western Foxsnake
Pantherophis ramspotti
18 local records · peak May
JFMAMJJASOND(c) John Sullivan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John Sullivan
Eastern Tiger Salamander
Ambystoma tigrinum
13 local records · peak October
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Peter Paplanus, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Prairie Skink
Plestiodon septentrionalis
13 local records · peak August
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Eric O, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
Eastern Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum
13 local records · peak September
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Carrie Seltzer, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Carrie Seltzer
Spiny Softshell
Apalone spinifera
9 local records · peak June
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Kala Murphy King, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Kala Murphy King
False Map Turtle
Graptemys pseudogeographica
9 local records · peak September
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Charlotte Kirchner, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Charlotte Kirchner
Smooth Greensnake
Opheodrys vernalis
6 local records · peak May
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Philippe Blais, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Philippe Blais
Blue-spotted Salamander
Ambystoma laterale
5 local records · peak April
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Seánín Óg, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
American Bullfrog
Lithobates catesbeianus
5 local records · peak May
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Jag Athwal, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jag Athwal
Blanding's Turtle
Emydoidea blandingii
3 local records · peak May
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Riley-Brendan Walsh, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Riley-Brendan Walsh
Common Five-lined Skink
Plestiodon fasciatus
3 local records · peak September
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Andrew Hoffman, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
Eastern Foxsnake
Pantherophis vulpinus
3 local records · peak May
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Diana-Terry Hibbitts, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Diana-Terry Hibbitts
DeKay's Brownsnake
Storeria dekayi
2 local records · peak August
JFMAMJJASOND(c) Chris Gruenwald Herp.mx, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chris Gruenwald Herp.mx
Records: iNaturalist research-grade observations (2026-10-01). Photos © observers, CC-licensed as credited.
Turtle crossings: In June, turtles cross roads to lay eggs. Slow down on Highway 95 near wetlands, and if you help one across, move it in the direction it was heading.
