Dr. G.:

My son Ryan lives in Utah and has some knowledge about the species in that state. If you check his web site at www.rubberboas.com you can send him an email message.



If you searched during the daytime at this time of year, I can understand you coming up empty handed as this is the next worst time to find the species during the day (only worst time is the dead of winter). During warm weather, the species in much of its distribution is more readily observe at night by driving roads through suitable habitat. In many regions, it also helps if it has rained recently or at least there is cloud cover.



If you still wish to make diurnal searches, if mid day temperatures reach into the 80's and above, I suggest going out early in the morning, say 8 to 8:30 and turn cover, mainly in the form of rocks in suitable habitat. The species has a very extensive north to south distribution in the mountains immediately east and adjacent to the major cities in the Salt Lake Valley, from Logan and above on south to below Provo.



Come to think of it, Ryan is in Idaho at his wife's family reunion so you won't be able to get in touch with him for a few days. There are a number of amateurs in the area that are quite savvy in finding the species up the canyon in those mts. but I do not have their names, phone numbers or email addresses.



You might make the same appeal in the '[bleep]' forum as there are likely to be some Utah herpers attending that forum.



Richard F. Hoyer (Corvallis, Oregon)

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