Image of Fire Salamander

Description:

Larvae in a small pond in front of a small but year-round flowing spring. The scene is shadowed by huge beech trees (see the last pictures). The larvae appear sometime in spring-time and disappear in September. Now they are between about 30 and 50 mm long. Some of the larger larvae have attacked a beetle that had fallen into the water. I couldn't see how this fight ended because they drifted into a stand of water mint. Although I'm often in the area I've never seen an adult salamander. So I cannot say whether this is the spotted or striped variety.