Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My job is sending me to Corpus in early June. Wondering if I have any chance of finding any herps out and about or will it be too hot for most of them. I'm not going to have a lot of free time but would like to get out and look around a little.

Thanks

Hey Hoochiepucker, where are you from? I can put you onto some stuff, but a lot of things will be out after dark. Email me with a wish list and I'll see what I can do. There are a few places to view in town but most of the action is south and west.
Todd Hughes

Early June in the Corpus area (and west of there) can be quite good, but mostly for roadhunting as antelope points out. They key is getting some rain. Less than an hour west of Corpus you can find milksnakes, kingsnakes, southwestern rats, bullsnakes, on the roads at night.

If it rains you could see other species as well.

There are indigosnakes in the general area, but to find them you need to be out in the morning hours and get lucky. Same is true for Mexican Hogs.

Western Diamondbacks and Checkered Garters are really common.

You can see some interesting herps at night on the roads on the northern end of North Padre island (before you get into the monument). That road can be kind of busy on weekend nights, however.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Thanks for the information. Sounds like I have a chance of enjoying a business trip for a change.

I'm a rookie at road hunting, can you offer some tips, what time of night is best? etc.

Thanks

Differant things come out at differant times but from about an hour after sundown till about 11:00 is when I see the most stuff. I also like to get to some roads an hour before sunset, 'cause you see the daytime herps heading home and the crepuscular herps eating them on their way out! When the amphibians are on the road, the garters and ribbons come out, followed by cottonmouths, ratsnakes and rattlers!
Todd Hughes

went to a concert in corpus tonight (april 1st). didnt really actively road hunt the way back to kingsville, but found a dor Desert King (Lampropeltis getula splendida) a dor checkered garter snake (Thamnophis marcianus) and two plains spadefoot toads (Spea bombifrons). and that was between midnight and 130 am, and i wasnt evern trying. the corpus area can be real good and is only getting better.
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