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Size Male 130 - 145 mm
Female 135 - 155 mm
This newt prefers lowland clay ponds in Essex and often
small pools or craters will yield many newts.
The Smooth Newt or Common Newt is the most common newt
countywide and will be found in any suitable water.
The breeding male has a crest running along the whole
length of its tail and body. The female has no crest
but a low ridge of skin along the back at all times.
The tail is longer than head and body and the throat is
spotted. (The Palmate Newt female is unspotted.)
The male is blue grey in colour, heavily spotted and
pale orange/yellow underside. The females are pale
or medium brown above with pale yellow underside.
Size Both sexes 80 - 90 mm
The Palmate Newt is the smallest of the three species
and prefers upland areas. It is the most common newt
in Epping Forest. The breeding male has webbed hind
feet and the tail ends in a filament (4-7 mm). In
colour the male is light or dark olive green above,
speckled with dark green. The belly is pale orange
or golden and sparsely spotted. The throat is pure
white with a pinkish tinge. The female is more brown
than the male above, but the belly is similar although
with less spots or none at all.
Size Male 80 - 83 mm
Female 85 - 88 mm
I have very few records of Palmate Newts in Essex and
would appreciate some new ones - upland areas seem
the most likely. Indeed, I should like any newt
records and should there be any difficulties in