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Smooth Newts or Common Newts are found in a variety of habitats outside the breeding season, inhabiting dense woodland, bogs, wet heathland, gardens, marshes, parks and farmland, at the base of vegetation, under stones and logs or in soil crevices.

The smooth newts usually spend winter on land hibernating, some will bury themselves in the soil or find their way into underground cavities around the foundations of buildings.  Often several species of newt can be found hibernating together; they will sometimes share their winter quarters with frogs and toads too.

They can be seen again in ponds during the breeding season in spring when they return to lay eggs; they prefer standing water with plenty of weeds, such as lake margins, ponds and ditches.

The Palmate Newt has a definite preference for shallow ponds on acid soils.  Because of this it is most commonly found on heathland in the south and west, and in the north, on moorland and bogs.

Palmate Newts seem able to withstand drier conditions than the Smooth Newt and are frequently found a long way from water.

The Great Crested Newt require surprisingly extensive areas of terrestrial habitat as well as standing water in order to survive; for example it has been estimated that a viable population of around two hundred and fifty newts requires a suitable breeding pond and about one hectare of good terrestrial habitat.  Moreover, adult newts can travel some distance away from their breeding pond in search of suitable habitat and immature adults may disperse up to five hundred metres away.

Even a small pond like this one in my brother's garden has regular visits from smooth newts.

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