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Pond

Smooth newt

Lissotriton vulgaris

A small amphibian with a long tail and a spotty orange belly, swimming with a slow wiggle.

Size
About 10cm long
Look for it
February to October
Where
Ponds in spring, damp gardens the rest of the year

My spotter's list

Swims after you with a slow, snaky wiggle. Move your pointer and see.

When to look

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Newt

Good to know

Six things about the newt

Crest

Dressed up for spring

In spring the males grow a wavy crest along their back and tail to impress the females.

Healing

Growing back

Newts can regrow lost legs and tails, and even parts of their eyes.

Eggs

Wrapped in a leaf

The female lays each egg one at a time and folds a water plant leaf round it to keep it safe.

Belly

Orange and spotty

Underneath, smooth newts have an orange belly covered in dark spots.

Land

Mostly on land

Newts only live in ponds in spring and summer. The rest of the year they hide under logs and stones.

Dancing

Tail waving

In courtship, a male waves his tail at the female, wafting scents towards her.

The real thing

Photos of the newt

Smooth newt, photo 1
Photo: Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Smooth newt, photo 2
Photo: Reinhold Möller Ermell, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Smooth newt, photo 3
Photo: Reinhold Möller Ermell, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Out and about

How to spot one

Shine a torch into a pond after dark in spring and you may see them hanging in the water. On land, look carefully under logs and stones.

Lend a hand

How to help

Grow water plants with soft leaves, such as water forget-me-not, for females to wrap their eggs in. Leave log piles close to the pond.

Keep going

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