...are an essential feature of salamander habitat. Most of Michigan's salamanders require shallow, temporary and fish-less ponds for breeding. These pools are often found in mature hardwood forests and are completely dry by mid-Summer. For this reason, they are often referred to as "vernal" or "ephemeral" pools. For this reason, too, salamanders must begin their mating season as soon as possible, usually right after ice-out. In South-Eastern Michigan, this occurs from mid-March to early April. One of the first species to make the annual mating migration to vernal pools is the Yellow-spotted salamander...