Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just wondering about which roads seem to produce the most, dirt or paved. The dirt roads tend to be the roads further away from civilization but they do not retain heat as well paved roads. Also, would road crusing be pointless this time of year or could it be productive? What time of day/night is the overall best? Thanks for the help.

Can't give you a real opinion on your first question since I usually go on paved,not because I have an opinion that it is better, but because it is more convenient.

As to roadherping this time of year:

I noticed your post below indicating you are in Central Florida, I would give it a shot because roadherping in South Florida is still going strong.

Went tonight and saw: two different types of Watersnake,Gartersnake,Cornsnake,and Pygmy Rattler. Give it a shot........
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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

Thats a good night out Loyd.Keep it up....Chip...

I've only been road cruising twice-once dirt and once paved. I feel like I had the same results either way, but I've often wondered the same thing. I have noticed that the majority of the road cruising pictures posted here appear to be on the pavement.

Maybe you should cruise a paved road on your way to a dirt road!

good luck,

Jake

It usually depends on locale,but this time of year is a warmth issue.Stay on the pavement.During the season when the animals are at thier peak of activity,both surfaces are good....Good luck...

I hear an hour or so after sunset is a good time but I'm mostly interested in diurnal snakes such as edb's,rats, and kings. I found a yellow rat on a dirt road, friendly little guy, didn't try to bite or flee. On pavement I've seen a few things but I've never really been looking. The pavement feels cool at night so I don't really bother. Thanks for all the help.-Cole

This time of Year,an hour before and an hour after sunset might be productive.Also as it gets cooler down there field herping early in the day might be Your better bet.Especially when there is some cool wether,animals will take advantage of the sun.I have seen stuff in south Fla in January on 60 degree days out sunning.If You have low eighties during the day,up until about an hour after crepuscular might do the trick...Good luck...

Thanks again, would driving at night reduce the numbers of diurnal things found? Whats a "usual" night of road cruising? 1 snake, 2 3 I dont know what to expect I've never seen more than 1 road crusing but maybe its the location

Whats a "usual" night of road cruising? 1 snake, 2 3 I dont know what to expect I've never seen more than 1 road crusing but maybe its the location

I don't consider a road productive if I don't see 2-3 snakes per hour. There are some areas I have road cruised where you can see 20 snakes an hour (although diversity is low), and others where you hope for a snake a night (but these are areas where you look for a target species).

During the morning hours, frankly I consider it good if you see a snake or two.

As for habitats, I find that roads that go between two habitats can be more productive (along the edge of a forest near a field, for example). Roads through the middle of a relatively uniform habitat (be it desert or orange grove) aren't as productive.

In FL, I would usually be looking for a road that ran along a marshy area or at least between some sort of canal/creek and a patch of good habitat.
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Chris Harrison

It's getting into the sixties at night here, do you think it would be too cold to hunt at night? Sunday morning I saw a dor blue-sided garter snake so I know they are still out and about but at night it is pretty chilly. Should I expect to find anything when it is this cold?

Hey man,

I'm a desert herper, so my reply is based mostly on my desert findings thus far.
Depending on what you're looking for, either can produce good results. If you are looking for nocturnal herps, its best to hunt paved roads for at least two reasons: Pavement soaks up heat better than light colored dirt, and attracts snakes and geckos to it. Another reason is that they show up better to the eye. Black pavement (or dark) will virtually illuminate a light-colored snake/gecko/animal period.

If you're looking for diurnal lizards, little travelled dirt roads are great. Lizards like to sit along the edges of the road, surveying for mates/food. You can also find diurnal snakes that prey on the lizards on these dirt roads. ie Racers.

I hope this helps,

-Phil

Anybody have suggestions on time of day to search for diamondbacks. Also, how do you find good roads, do you just go out and wait until you see stuff and then try it again? Would roads along the edges of orange groves be anygood? Thanks again for the help.-Cole

It depends on the area. You didn't post where you were, but I infer you are in FL somewhere based on the other comments.

I like to hunt mornings as well as evenings and night, regardless of where I am. My usual threshholds are I hunt when it is between 65° and 90° either in the mornings or evening/night.

Both ways are productive, but generally for different species. You are more likely to find things like rattlesnakes, coachwhips, racers, gopher/pinesnakes, indigos, and hognosed snakes hunting in the day. Other species are more common at night.

I prefer dirt in the day and paved at night, but really only because it is easier to see stuff that way. The habitat and traffic level is more important that the road surface.
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Chris Harrison

Yes to be exact I am in Kissimmee. Anyone that knows the habitats or the terrain in the southeast what would the "good roads" look like? I've found a lot of back roads in orange groves that don't look very traveled but I wonder if the fauna is adapted enough to orange groves to be as productive as say, a road through the woods.

The Highway from St Cloud to Cocoa disects some great habitats.

I assume you are referring to US 192/ Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway? What time of day would you think is best for flipping tin sheets?

I use to cruise at night there back in the late 80s and early 90s.I am not sure how built up it is now,but it used to disect multiple habitats producing multiple species from legless lizards to EDBs.It very well might be a metropolis down there now,but it was great in its day.Used to take it from st cloud all the way to the st johns river.Always something to see and photograph.This time of year with weather getting into the 60s down there might only move animals until about an hour or so after crepuscular....Good Luck.......

I will try to get out there and check it out this weekend. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for all the help.

Keep Me posted,I am kind of curious if that road is still in tact or if it is all built up now....Good luck...

I usually prefer to hunt on an old abandoned paved road that passes through optimal habitat. If there aren't any paved roads in the area you wish to hunt or the paved roads do not pass through adequate habitat for the species you are looking for, then use the dirt roads. You can find snakes on either. It is easier to see snakes on the paved roads, easier on your car, and you can cover more ground on a paved road. The disadvantages are that you may have to deal with traffic and that paved roads generally do not pass through the kind of habitat that you want. The advantage to dirt roads is that they often times have less traffic, pass through more undisturbed habitat, and may have slightly higher populations of snakes (because they aren't constantly being run over by cars).
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Jaren
Desert Canyon Reptiles

I have found lots of roads that aren't traveled very often through orange groves but theoretically would these be good? Also, as it is cooling off, would morning be better than night or vice versa?

Does anybody know any areas where I can find some decent roads? I know no one is likely to share their own roads but some clues as to what cities/area would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again-Cole