2025 VHS Events
June
2025 VHS Toby's Point and
Land's End WMA Herpetological Survey
When: Saturday, June 7th from 9:00 am-3:00 pm
Location: Land’s End WMA
Join the Virginia Herpetological Society for a day of herping at Toby's Point and Land's End Wildlife Management Area Park on Saturday, June 7th from 9 am - 3 pm. Toby's Point is a 235-acre parcel of the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Land's End WMA is a 462 acre wildlife management area. Both of which are located in King George County, Virginia. There are a few potential new herp records to be found like Red Cornsnakes, Eastern Milksnakes, Three-lined Salamanders, and Eastern Musk Turtles. Copperheads have been found in the preserves, so be weary where you put your hands. Participants should also bring snacks, water, and lunch. Sturdy footwear should be worn. Please also be prepared for a woodland environment, mosquitoes, and ticks.
Restroom facilities will not be available, but there are gas stations roughly 10 minutes from either property.
Registration Required: Registration link
A confirmation email will be sent to you a week before the survey. We will provide updated details of the event in the confirmation email. We look forward to seeing you!
Questions can be sent to: Matt Neff
Documented Herps of King George County, VA
2025 HerpBlitz
When: Saturday June 14th (9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) and Sunday June 15th (9:00 a.m. - noon)
Location: Crooked Creek WMA in Carroll County
Registration Required: Registration link
Documented Herps of Carroll County, VA
May
Spring Survey
Date: Sunday, May 18 & Monday, May 19
Time: Need start and end times
Location: Staunton River State Park, 1170 Staunton Trail, Scottsburg, VA 24589
Registration Required: Registration link
Documented Herps of Halifax County, VA
Spring Meeting
First joint meeting of the Virginia and North Carolina Herpetological Societies
Date: Saturday, May 17
Time: 8:30 a.m.– 4:00 p.m.
Location: Averett University, Blount Chapel located in the building Frith Hall, Danville, VA
Meeting Location: Blount Chapel located in Frith Hall - Google Map
Parking Location: 200-278 Woodland Drive - Google Map
Registration Required: Registration link
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 9:00 a.m. | Business Meeting (each society) |
| 10:30 a.m. | Welcome and Opening Remarks - Dr. Arianna Kuhn, VHS President, Virginia Museum of Natural History Anthony Leiro, NCHS Vice President, Duke University (retired) Jason Gibson, conference local host, Averett University |
| 10:45 a.m. | The flexible frog: what spadefoots can teach us about evolution. - Karl Hill, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill |
| 11:00 a.m. | The Race to Save Appalachia’s Giant Salamander, the Eastern Hellbender - William A. Hopkins, Dept of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech |
| 11:15 a.m. | Break |
| 11:30 a.m. | Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) Trailhead signs, a successful approach providing relevant information and promoting conservation action - John Sealy, University of North Carolina Greensboro (retired) |
| 11:45 a.m. | Population genetics and ecology of urban Dekay’s Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi) - Dr. Tianqi Huang, Rutgers University-New Brunswick; Field Museum of Natural History |
| Noon | Lunch |
| 1:15 p.m. | An Exploration of Regional Alligator Diet and Contaminants of Emerging Concern. - Miriam Boucher, Clemson University |
| 1:30 p.m. | The molecular basis and evolution of aposematism in poison-dart frogs - Dr. Roberto Márquez, Virginia Tech University |
| 1:45 p.m. | Break and Poster Session |
| Investigating Potential Threats to Endemic Neuse River Waterdog (Necturus lewisi) Populations - Megan Serr; Juno Pilson; Grace Upton; Diana Campos-Carreon; Jazmin Zugasti | |
| Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) Trailhead signs, a successful approach providing relevant information and promoting conservation action. - John Sealy; Jeff Hall; Jonathan Buie | |
| Learning and socialization in corn snakes, Pantherophis guttatus - Cliff Zeyl; Liam Andersen | |
| UV & Temperature Regulation by Tree Lizards along an Ecological Gradient - Andreanna Schultz | |
| What about the turtles - Tanya Finch | |
| 2:45 p.m. | Freshwater Turtles as Sentinels: Monitoring Heavy Metal Contamination in Wake County, North Carolina, USAToxicology - Ana Sapp, North Carolina State University |
| 3:00 p.m. | Beyond Thermoregulation: UV & Temperature Regulation by Tree Lizards along an Ecological Gradient - Andreanna Schultz, Christopher Newport University |
| 3:30 p.m. | Live Auction |
| 4:45 p.m. | Closing Remarks - Dr. Arianna Kuhn, VHS President, Virginia Museum of Natural History Anthony Leiro, NCHS Vice President, Duke University (retired) |
ONGOING ACTIVITIES
5:30 PM, Social Location: TBD
potential meetup locations:
Ballad Brewing
600 Craghead St, Danville, V A
2 Witches Winery & Brewing
(has food truck!)
209 Trade St, Danville, VA
April
Virtual Program: The Life of a Box Turtle
Date: Thursday, April 24th 7 to 8 PM
Time: 7:00 p.m.– 8:00 p.m.
March
Reptile and Amphibian Weekend (RAAW)
Date: Saturday March 22 & Sunday March 23
Time: 9:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m.
Location: The Virginia Living Museum, 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601
Naturally Speaking: Dr. Arianna Kuhn
Salamander secrets: The True “Hidden Gems” of Virginia
Date: Thursday, March 20
Time: 6:00 p.m.– 7:30 p.m.
Location: The Virginia Living Museum, 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601
Evening STEM Event
VHS Table Display
World Wildlife Day
VHS Table Display
Date: Saturday, March 1
Time: 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Location: Maymont Park, Richmond VA
Additional Information: Maymont Foundation
February
Meet Virginia’s Salamanders
with Leeanna
Pletcher
Date: Thursday, February 27
Time: 7:00 p.m.– 8 p.m. EST
Location: Virtual
Box Turtle Reporting
