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what time of day is best for obsevering snakes in the spring? the morning or the a few hours before dusk?

>>what time of day is best for obsevering snakes in the spring? the morning or the a few hours before dusk?

In part it depends on where you are. In the desert southwest, activity is much more regulated by moisture than temperature. Although you may get some warm days in the spring, if it is too dry, you won't see much activity (except lizards).

In more mesic climates, it is then temperature dependent (although moisture always helps!). My favorite days for finding things under cover (boards, rocks, etc) are days with lows in the 50s and highs in the upper 60s or low 70s. Snakes often bask under cover at these temps and many amphibs are out moving.

This can be in February in the south and May in the north.

As for time of day, if the temps are as described, then mid to late morning into the afternoon is fine. If it is warmer, you want to try earlier in the day.

Around here by April, many snakes are already becoming nocturnal.
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Chris Harrison

the best time for most snakes is when its between 70-80 degrees fareinheit.
there fore they will be cheifly active from at late dusk and night(depending on where you live)
try travling on barely populated, minumal traffic, roads at night

i wish i could go road herping. i don't have my lisence. i hope i can get it back before the summer is over. right now i have to go out on foot. but i know some really nice spots with big fields and run down buildings. sat. i found a young male eastern garter,in guilford county north carolina we have very beautiful garters, they have black heads and three stripes the top one is yellow the side ones are greenish. they have the checked board effect between the top line and the side line with a bright yellow-green in between. and the same green color on the ventrals with little black spots. sun. i found two five lined skinks and a young adult northern water snake. it nice i can drive to the old berries fields and if i get too hot i can drive two miles down to anothe field in which "muddy creek" runs, a nice ten- twelve foot wide creek with crystal clear water that is knee deep at its deepest. i would love to go road herping though. but you have to drive slowly and while paying attention to the road you probably swerve a little. i bet you get pulled over a lot. a have a lisence to collect snakes but not to drive.
maybe someone who lives in the piedmont could take me!