Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I don't get out as often as I would like. The last time I was out was a few months back. One thing I noticed was every time I found a spot that looked promising I would turn over the log or rock and all I would find is a huge fire ant mound. I guess I should mention I am in Fort Worth Tx. Any way do you think the fire ant population is affecting the snake population? I know you never see horned frogs any more, and the jack rabbit is just about a thing of the past too. Its sure not like it used to be. Thanks Jim
-----
1,0 snow
1,0 amel

1,0 aney stripe motley
0,1 normal
0,1 anery
0,1 motley
1,1 oketee
1,1 tx rat
4,4 ball python
1,1 dumerils boa
1,0 columbian red tail boa
1,1 green iguana
1,0 leopard gecko
1,3 dogs
freezer full of mice & rats

I have found snakes under the same boards as fire ants though. Flipped a 5 ft lindy last summer only to realize while securing the snake that my hand was enveloped with the fire ants that literally poured from the same flower pot the lindy was living in. Also have found various other creatures, including other snakes species, in and around mounds that are on or under boards. The narrowmouth toads especially don't seem to mind, and I have seen them chomping down on them heartily. Of course, they will kill and devour snakes, lizards, etc. I find them especially common on either DOR or dying snakes on the roads.
-----
Andy Maddox
AIM: SurfAndSkimTx04
MSN: Poloboy32486@hotmail.com
Yahoo:surfandskimtx04
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

Recently read an interesting scientific paper on how horned lizards (Phrynosoma) cope with fire ants. They would close their eyes and eat individual fire ants that get close to their snout. If there are many fire ants (about a dozen or more) around, then the lizards would sprint away and bury themselves in the sand. After a few minutes, the lizards would re-emerge after the threat has subsided. Neat stuff.

We have a similar problem in Florida too. I would bet that it is the herp eggs that are being consumed by the non-native fire ants that is most likely causing the problem. I would love to see a study done on the diff. of abundance on two different genuses like Thamnophis and Lampropeltis.-Brett

A co-worker and I (he is fellow herper) frequently walk during lunch breaks to a nearby retention pond (we are in Florida) as there are a group of young gators there. Along the way is a large 4 X 8 piece of plywood which of course we always check under. Under the board, there is a fire ant hill mound on one side, and a mound of large biting ants (I think they are called 'bull ants')on the other. In between the two we have periodically found Florida Kingsnakes, black racers, southern ringnecks, 5 line skinks, and assorted toads, apparently not being bothered by either type of ants. We are not so lucky, however, as whoever is 'lucky' enough to be the one lifting the board usually nds up with an ant covered hand!

The real damage is as asked in the above post...to eggs. This was recognised as a problem in Florida as early as the late seventies. The problem here is estimating the damage cause by ants vs everything else that has gone wrong here from over developement on down.

Frank
-----
"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."