The Orianne Society

Identifying Native Grasses Caleb Goldsmith shares tips for identifying native grasses and managing your land to promote natives and reduce unwanted plants.

Learn how to recognize the species you want to encourage, spot the ones you don’t, and make informed decisions that support healthier, more resilient native #landscapes on Lighting a Match: www.oriannesociety.org/lighting-a-m...

Caleb dives into one of the most overlooked skills in habitat management: identifying #nativegrasses. Autumn is the perfect season to take a closer look at the grasses on your property, and Caleb explains why, highlighting how fall characteristics reveal clues you won’t see any other time of year.

Non-target effects of hemlock imidacloprid treatments: Physiological and behavioral responses in stream salamander larvae Study examines how imidacloprid exposure affects stream salamander larvae, revealing risks to Appalachian ecosystems and guiding hemlock management.

...stream-dwelling #salamander larvae in the Southern Appalachians. Her findings shed new light on an emerging #conservation concern for these sensitive headwater species.

Read Hadley’s full report: www.oriannesociety.org/science-init...

Curious how #hemlock conservation, invasive pests, and #amphibian health are all connected?

Hadley Copeland, one of our 2024 Grant Program recipients, has been investigating how imidacloprid, an insecticide used to protect hemlocks, may affect the physiology and behavior of...

New merch alert! Our online shop is stocked with brand-new Orianne Society merchandise—perfect for field days, cozy nights in, or gifting to the herp-lover in your life. Every purchase directly supports reptile and amphibian conservation and the habitats they depend on.

www.oriannesociety.org/shop/

Snake Talk Snake Talk, a podcast hosted by Dr. Chris Jenkins, is geared towards increasing education about snakes and decreasing fear and persecution.

The #SnakeTalkPodcast is geared towards increasing education about #snakes and decreasing fear and persecution. Listen in wherever you get your podcasts, or on our website: www.oriannesociety.org/snake-talk/

Originally released in 2020 and one of our most downloaded conversations! Dr. Steven Beaupre joins Chris for a deep dive into the world of #TimberRattlesnakes, sharing decades of insight on their physiology, ecology, and the remarkable adaptations that shape their lives.

Wood Turtles hatchlings are not known for overwintering inside their nests, so these would have likely perished had they not been untangled from the roots that prevented them from emerging.

#OrianneSociety #Turtle #WoodTurtle #Glyptemysinsculpta #WildlifeConservation

...two hatchlings that had become entrapped in roots from grass that had encroached back into the nest site during the summer. Typically, all hatchlings should be out of the nests by early October, so finding these hatchlings still underground in late October was a surprise.

Back in the spring, we helped the Vermont River Conservancy with a project to create new nest sites for Wood Turtles. The turtles took to the new spots almost immediately, and while doing some follow-up vegetation work in late October, we were rewarded by finding...

And an extra shoutout to Noah Fields and Ben Stegenga for their enthusiasm, expertise, and support throughout the raffle, and for leading the upcoming herping trip.

Your support powers conservation. Thank you for being part of The Orianne Society community!

If your name wasn’t drawn this time, please know that your participation still made a meaningful impact, and we hope you’ll join us again next year.

Special thanks to Matt Patterson, Nathalie Aall, Jeffrey Jones, and Tracy Karplus for their prize donations.

Congratulations to this year’s raffle winners! All winners were selected through a fair and random drawing, and we’ll be reaching out shortly to confirm details and coordinate prize delivery.

🌟 Thank YOU for an incredible 2025 GivingTuesday Raffle & Auction for Conservation!

With 1,244 tickets sold and $11,511 raised, you helped fuel real, on-the-ground conservation for reptiles, amphibians, and the habitats they depend on. We couldn’t be more grateful.

2025 Giving Tuesday Raffle & Auction for Conservation This GivingTuesday, you can make a difference and win big – by donating, you’ll support our mission and get a chance to win fantastic prizes!

Every ticket and bid in our GivingTuesday Raffle & Auction for Conservation directly supports boots-on-the-ground conservation, from monitoring Eastern Indigo Snakes in Georgia to protecting Wood Turtles in Vermont.

Don’t wait — it all ends today at 4PM ET!

www.oriannesociety.org/news/2025-gi...

Only a few hours left!

This is your last chance to make a real impact on conservation, while getting the chance to win something in return. Will you be the raffle grand prize winner joining us on a field herping trip for two to North Georgia this spring?

2025 Giving Tuesday Raffle & Auction for Conservation This GivingTuesday, you can make a difference and win big – by donating, you’ll support our mission and get a chance to win fantastic prizes!

The Orianne Society is dedicated to research and land conservation that will ensure Green Salamanders have a place in the southern Appalachians for generations to come. Support our mission by participating in our GivingTuesday Raffle & Auction today!

www.oriannesociety.org/news/2025-gi...

It’s speculated that they may have thrived within mature stands of American Chestnuts before the trees were decimated by the chestnut blight in the early-mid 1900s. Despite having a fairly large range, Green Salamanders are now considered imperiled or threatened in most states in which they occur.

The Green Salamander (Aneides aeneus) stands out as one of the most beautiful and cryptic salamanders in the eastern United States. Today these climbing salamanders are usually associated with tight rock crevices in shaded, full-canopy deciduous forests.

Recovering Flatwoods Salamanders Through Habitat Restoration Long-term research and habitat restoration efforts are helping recover Reticulated Flatwoods Salamanders on Eglin Air Force Base.

New research brings hope for one of the Southeast’s most imperiled amphibians!

In this month's Science of Scales, Houston Chandler breaks down how habitat restoration is helping Reticulated Flatwoods Salamanders rebound on Eglin Air Force Base: www.oriannesociety.org/science-of-s...

#PhotooftheMonth: Herper Tingkun Luo takes us deep into the remote Guizhou Plateau of China, where he discovered a stunning, and uniquely dark, female Jerdon’s Lancehead Viper.

Read more about Tingkun's adventure and see the full photo: www.oriannesociety.org/photo-of-the...

Just two days left!

The Orianne Society’s 2025 Giving Tuesday Raffle & Auction for Conservation is live! Every bid and ticket supports real herp conservation, and you could win something amazing.

Get your tickets and bids in now through Dec 2 at 4pm ET!
www.oriannesociety.org/news/2025-gi...

2025 Giving Tuesday Raffle & Auction for Conservation This GivingTuesday, you can make a difference and win big – by donating, you’ll support our mission and get a chance to win fantastic prizes!

...experience the region’s incredible reptile and amphibian diversity first hand.

Support conservation and enter for your chance to win! Grab your raffle tickets on our website!

www.oriannesociety.org/news/2025-gi...

...a weekend field herping trip for two in the southern Appalachians!

Noah will join Orianne Society biologist Ben Stegenga for an unforgettable adventure in the Georgia mountains, where you’ll search for wildlife, learn directly from the experts, and...

Have you ever wanted to spend a day in the field with a biologist? Maybe even a full-time field herper?

If so, this might be your moment! We’re thrilled to once again team up with Noah Fields of @NKFherping for our GivingTuesday raffle grand prize...

2025 Giving Tuesday Raffle & Auction for Conservation This GivingTuesday, you can make a difference and win big – by donating, you’ll support our mission and get a chance to win fantastic prizes!

The Orianne Society is working with partners across Georgia and North Carolina to expand monitoring and conservation efforts to protect remaining populations. If you love lasagna lizards and healthy rivers like we do, support our work today:

www.oriannesociety.org/news/2025-gi...

Unfortunately, hellbenders face mounting threats: pollution, sedimentation, disease, and increasingly severe flooding. These pressures have prompted a recent proposal to list the species as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

With names as unique as their appearance (“snot otter”, “lasagna lizard”, and “devil dog”), hellbenders inspire mixed reactions from the public, but more and more people are learning to appreciate them.

A creature as wonderful as it is bizarre, the Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is our largest Appalachian salamander. These giants depend on cool, rocky rivers with pristine water, making them powerful indicators of stream health.

Snake Talk Snake Talk, a podcast hosted by Dr. Chris Jenkins, is geared towards increasing education about snakes and decreasing fear and persecution.

The Snake Talk Podcast is geared towards increasing education about snakes and decreasing fear and persecution. Listen in wherever you get your podcasts, or on our website: www.oriannesociety.org/snake-talk/