Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is this true? I can't remember where I've heard this before, but I was wondering are moonless nights better for road cruisin'? I'm asking cuz I've got time off around the end of the month, and checking the local lunar calendar, noticed that my off days coincide w/ the new moon. Hoping it makes for some good night driving.

reako45

I'm not sure if the moon story is fact or lore. If I can though, I avoid full-moon periods. At least that factor is under our control. If you get a handle on predicting wind, post it!

I've always had better luck with the new moon or no moon, whichever phrasing you prefer. That doesn't mean that it is guaranteed though. Just like any type of road cruising, luck always plays a part in what you find. Generally speaking though, I have found more animals on moonless nights and less on brighter nights.

Out last Saturday night in E. Palmdale. Very windy. Very dead night = 1 DOR GB Gopher.

reako45

hypothetical, rumored, not even factual? Because as a rule as this might of started long ago and has been discussed before on other forums, I have always concluded the controversy due to, not as many herpers wants to take the chance because of the above. So less herpers at the lunar situation / more herpers at the opposite lunar event, produces more herps seen at night ! I have had just as much observation ( or none ) of my over 50 pilgrimages to west Texas on the dark of the moon as the full moon and the waning and waxing of both leading up and the back side. But I also do the new / dark of the moon more due to the very fact I like to encounter other herpers down so there fore.........I have even heard of the theory that predation is more abundant with the full moon of / on even reptiles. What ? Meaning that the reptile species and I guess we are talking snakes here, would have to have enough intelligences or born with the knowledge of more moon / light causing more predation on them, Don't buy it. While there could be a slight observation and or theory of the more bug-eyed species like the rats snakes and some kings and someone mentioned even the lyre snakes, I have certainly never witness it. Not to prove a point, one year, I spent 14 days down in the Big Bend region during the lunar phase of waxing and waning and my observation/s was the same except as noted, the wind did cause a decrease of observed species at any given night opposed to the moon cycle.
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

and other nocturnal predators would have better success rates hunting snakes on moonlit lights than on a moonless one. That just makes sense, so I have no trouble believing that there is at least *some* credence to the saying.

If coral reefs can tune into moon phases from below the surface of the seas, then a snake doing the same would not be a stretch in the least.

Just my $.02
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"Nothing happens in contradiction to nature, only to what we know of it."

As said in the previous post. How can we assume that the snakes know it's better to come out when the moon is dark? I've always said that if a snake is hungry it will be out and if it's mating time they will be out. I've had just as much luck finding snakes on well lit nights as I have on dark nights. Reptiles have a relatively short time in a season to hunt and breed, so I don't think they let that time go to waste.
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Steve W.

This could support the other side as well - the owls think there are enough snakes on a moonlit night to make it worth THEIR while...so why not us???

As for me...I have a 1 year old daughter, so I just get out whenever I can. The only thing I know for sure is that I can't find ANYTHING new inside my house.

Have fun,
Jake

dont buy it? well, a friend of mine working on his masters/phd right now has been looking on this as well as many other factors that could be tied to snake activity through an on-going road herp survey. and one strong correlation he's found is the abundance of snakes crossing the road with regards to moon phase. true, when someone tends not to herp due to the moonphase "rumor," it produces a bias that is perpetuated by the fact that these people will avoid herping on full moon nights. granted, as with anything in science, there is variation from what is accepted as truth, so there still could be an awesome night of herping on a full moon night. kinda contradictory, but there are exceptions to every rule.
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-Mike Martin
North Carolina

nocturnal snakes are shyer than diurnal snakes, and for that matter on moon lit nights snake stay away from the open and on darker nights they are more bold and will come out in the open. they come out almost every night but are not always seen.
jake

I had heard this for years and had experienced it myself on many occasions. I have caught more snakes under dark skies than under moonlit skies. However, I have also caught snakes on full moon nights - you just see fewer snakes. If you watch carefully, you will see that rodents are more wary on full moon nights as well which may explain the snake's preferences. And frogs call more actively on dark nights as well if rainfall isn't limiting.

A few years back, I read a manuscript by Rick Shine on activity patterns in Arafura Filesnakes (Achrocordus arafurae). These snakes are totally aquatic and were trapped in Fyke nets while active. Dr. Shine found that he caught significantly more arafurae around the dark of the moon compared to the full moon. So if a passive study (trapping while active) of a totally aquatic, nocturnal snake shows this, I think the pattern should exist for terrestrial snakes as well.

What is sad is that those of us who roadhunt a lot could establish this without any doubt if we just bothered to take better notes!
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

Is that "Dr. Moon Shine"?
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Sorry, It was too easy.
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Regards, Bill McGighan

reako45,
This has come up on several forums and always elicits strong views for and against.
IMHO there are variabile opinions on this, not only geographically, but by target species (extremely nocturnal, extremely crepuscular, extremely diurnal).
No one rule will work for all places or animals.

Humidity, wind, temperature being constant:
If I wanted corn snakes from South Carolina Low Country, I would plan my trip for the last 1/8th moon to first 1/8th.
If I wanted Pygmy Rattlers in the same area, I wouldn’t hesitate on a full moon.

If I want Trans-pecos Rats in Big Bend, I would plan for no moon.
If I wanted Trans-pecos Copperheads, full moon seems more productive.

Does this mean that you can’t catch a corn on a full moon in the southeast? No.
It seems to me it is used as a guide just to increase your probabilities.

Another factor that is overlooked sometimes is the time the moon rises and sets. It could be a bright half moon night, but it goes down an midnight.
On one trip to the north side of the Davis Mtns, Texas, the very bright moon didn’t rise till 10:30 PM. After full dark we encountered 5 Trans-pecos Rat Snakes and when the moon raised all TPR activity just stopped. (Night snake and Atrox started = kiss of death, unless, of course, these are your targets.)

SWWIT, I don’t believe crevice huggers like Gray-band Kings care as much either way.
Clouds and storms, of course, can trump any time.

Mchambers also hit on an important human factor in that people often hunt, fish, herp, etc., when they believe it’s best and don’t put as much effort into it when their hearts not in it!

In fishing I found, when I lived on a lake in Florida, published “Solunar” calendars were pretty dependable for bass feeding cycles. Bait fish were omnipresent.
Fishing in an Appalachian trout stream where feeding and protection space is limited, calendars seem useless.

Chrish is correct in that we generally don’t keep enough notes, because of the variables.

My advice is get out there as much as you can, pay attention to variables, give weight to all opinions, target species and locations, and make up your mind for yourself.

http://stardate.org/nightsky/moon/
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Regards, Bill McGighan

Also studies have shown that chanting, burning incense and positive thinking increase success in road collecting . A lot is left to chance. The intermittent reinforcment is why its so addictive!

LOL
Chanting - Ha
Incense - Ha
Positive thinking - Ha
How rediculous, Bill

(An aside at a whisper) Do you know some chants, incense and some self-help books that I can get my hands on??????

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Regards, Bill McGighan

Awha tanas siam!
If you repeat this several times while looking! It may bring you some luck. Only try it towards the end of your night when you start to get tired and are thinking of calling it quit's!

LOL:
Jasonmc

but I don't think I would do that right now on RR of the Big Bend with all of the presence of force down there. LOL ! My preference has always been Ten Years After of the Woodstock fame. With the most favorite and last night hunting and tune tilted " I'm Going Home " ! Another LOL ! and look it up kids........
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

Arlo Guthrie
Gees Mike I really feel old. LOL
I always preferred "The Letter" by the Boxtops.
LOL
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Regards, Bill McGighan

just drive my motor cycle ? one ? LOL !
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

Jason that was amazing.
I tried your chant several times yesterday, and although we just saw one magnificent Black Rat Snake, it made my wife say "I agree", everytime I said it out load. LOL
Happy Herpin'
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Regards, Bill McGighan