Snakes in Winter

(Above: Worm snake at Black Bear Overlook.) I’ve seen six different species of snakes here at the museum during winter, eastern garter snake, black rat snake, rough and smooth earth snakes, brown snake and worm snake. The snake species and quantity encountered depend on their local abundance at the time. So far this season, brown snakes and worm snakes have been most frequently observed. Worm snakes are small, maxing out at about a foot or so. They’re shiny snakes withRead more

Spring Happenings

Happenings over the past few weeks have been a bit overwhelming. Insects that have been held back from emergence by cooler than normal temperatures are doing so now, snakes and other reptiles have been performing their springtime rituals, neotropical migrants are moving through, and local nesters are doing just that, nesting. Some have already fledged their first broods. It’s been difficult for me to keep up with all of the biological happenings in terms of posting them to this Journal. That beingRead more

Worm or Snake?

“Is that a worm or a snake?” shouted a Museum guest as she stared down at the ground at a small, slender, brown creature frantically wiggling along the macadam on the north side of the Wetlands. Standing about thirty feet from the woman I could see the critter, but couldn’t tell exactly what it was. Getting closer, I could see that it was a snake. I flipped the little snake over to see the pink of its belly to confirmRead more