Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Same area as on 9/21. Beautiful day, sunny, 80s, nice breeze, but didn't have as much luck as on 9/21. BUT...

1 Plainbelly (Blotched) Water snake (N. erythrogaster transversa)
TMTC Frogs, probably juvenile bullfrogs (thanks, Andy! )
TMTC Red-eared sliders
and... (see below)

The Plainbelly is the first I've seen in this area in over 2 years. Along with the Diamondback Watersnake (N. rhombifer) from a few days ago, I'm relieved to say that at least the Nerodia haven't been extirpated from this particular area!

My biggest find was the kind that gets a herper's adrenalin pumping: A shed skin from an Elaphe (or Pantherophis) obsoleta, still partially moist, and measuring in at 6 feet, 1 inch. Searched the surrounding area carefully, but couldn't find the lunker. But I know he's there somewhere! My impression over the years is that many snakes, including rat snakes, often are territorial and often haunt the same general area(s).

The largest snake I've found in this area, after many years of herping it, was an obsoleta that measured 5'8". That was 3 years ago, and interestingly enough, I found that one in nearly the same exact spot as I found the skin. I know shed skins tend to stretch a little (maybe 10 percent or so?), so even if he (or she) isn't 6 feet, (s)he's close.

And yes, I had my camera this time (probably why I didn't find as many critters! ). Pics of the Plainbelly, and the skin, forthcoming.
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MichaelB

Looking forward to seeing that erythrogaster. One of my favorites.
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Tim

It's 50 today in SE Wisconsin, brrrr. I did manage to find a bunch of this year's T. sirtalis today. Cute little guys, still can musk like crazy even at 6" or so.
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Tim

I think I saw the Holy Grail of N. erythrogasters the other day! Read on...

I've spent the last two days looking for the former owner of that 6-foot shed (see above post). No sign yet.

The plot thickened on Thursday morning. After an unsuccessful search, I was on my way home, and happened to look down over the edge of a stone walkbridge over a creek, to see if there might be anything of interest down there. There was: A snake that, by my estimation, was nearly five feet long. Black Rats are about the only snakes around here that get that big. It was heading under the bridge, which put me in a spot because I knew that if I went in one side to go after him, he'd go out the other side. So I just watched for a while, while planning a capture strategy.

That was when I realized that this wasn't a Black Rat or a Bullsnake, but rather a Blotched Watersnake! I hadn't seen one in this area in a couple years, and now here I was looking down at the largest Nerodia I have ever seen in this area!

I spent the next half hour going back and forth over that bridge, watching to see which side he'd come out on. Unfortunately, he came out the other side but ducked underwater beneath a pile of branches before I could get to him. I've been searching the same general area for the past two days, but no new sightings.

A check of Conant and Collins indicates the record for N. erythrogaster transversa is 58 inches, or just under 5 feet. I had a good, long look at this one, and I'm convinced he's close to that. Stay tuned...
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MichaelB