Participants in a walk at Parsons Reserve got to see a temporary body of water and the various creatures it houses.

About 35 participants attended the Vernal Pool Walk, hosted by the Buzzards Bay Coalition and the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, on April 8. There, they spotted a salamander, some caddisflies (moth-like insects that live near freshwater), and egg masses.

"Participants asked good questions and were engaged in learning more about plants and animals in and around the vernal pool," said DNRT Outreach Coordinator Jim Bride.

Bride explained that the vernal pools are unique habitats that fill with water from snow melt, springs, and/or rainwater in the fall and winter, then typically dries up by summer.

"This means fish cannot survive in the pools, allowing species like wood frog tadpoles, spotted salamander tadpoles, dragonfly larvae, caddisflies, and isopods to thrive in this temporary wetland," said Bride.

While vernal pools can vary in shape and size, the pool in Parsons Reserve is large, and fed by both springs and rain. It also is home to the fairy shrimp, an indicator speices only found in such conditions, said Bride.