I took the opportunity to visit a tract that we recently acquired, as a part of the EOA Preserve, in an attempt to locate some of the seldom seen reptiles of the Edge. The weather has been cool and damp so I expected that these guys might be holed up under some cover, waiting for some sunshine and warm temperatures to get their systems going. While the day was overcast with sometimes steady rain and temperatures in the 50's, I discovered several species content to provide a photo opportunity.
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| Ring-necked snake, Diadophis punctatus |
A small snake, easily identified by the yellow or sometimes orange band that encircles the neck, this ring-necked snake was the first that I discovered. While fairly common within the southern half of Ohio, I rarely see ring-necked snakes unless I am specifically looking for them under boards or tins.
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| Red-bellied snake, Storeria occipitomaculata |
Soon thereafter, I located this Red-bellied snake. This woodland resident is fairly common within the Edge Preserve and is readily identified by its reddish - orange belly.
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| Eastern Wormsnake, Carphophis amoenus |
Searching through leaves led to the discovery of this small fellow, the Eastern Wormsnake. Usually grey to reddish brown in color with a pinkish belly, the wormsnake fits its name very well. The wormsnake looks very similar to the Smooth Earth snake, with the earth snake typically having some black specks along the sides of the body where the Easterm Wormsnake does not. Both of these snakes are restricted to only a few counties in southern Ohio and are challenging to find.
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| Eastern Milksnake, Lampropeltis triangulum |
Finally, I found a snake of some appreciable size! If you look at the first three pictures and compare the snake to the surrounding leaves in the picture, you can see that those are some small snakes. The Eastern Milksnake is a medium sized snake, maybe reaching two feet in length, and fairly common in Ohio. The milksnake is often mis-identified as a Northern Copperhead by the casual viewer though its pattern differs from that of the copperhead and it lacks the vertical pupils of a venomous snake.
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| North American or Black Racer, Coluber constrictor |
Now we are getting somewhere in this effort...this guy is a racer and as the name suggests, these snakes can move quickly. Black racers can reach lengths of 5 - 6 feet and can be aggressive if threatened or startled. Yep, they can be intimidating! I know from personal experience that they will strike repeatedly when captured. The species is most active during the day during hot weather, at time when they are capable of moving very quickly. Fortunately the cooler temperatures have this snake content to stay put and simply "scent" what level of a threat I may be. We often hear folks refer to our racers in southern Ohio as Black Racers or Blue Racers, dependent mostly on the predominant coloration of the snake. We recognize this snake as a racer, and regardless of his predominant color, he is likely to be quick and have a mean disposition!
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| Northern Copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix |
A fitting end to a long day of searching, I found a Northern Copperhead. The copperhead is not very excitable, often laying still to the point that it is stepped on by passers by. While common in southern Ohio and within the Edge preserve, this snake can be hard to find. This guy has the trade mark copper colored head and if you can see the eye, you will see a vertical pupil that removes all doubt that this snake is venomous.
Searching for reptiles can be challenging, even in "good" weather, finding this many species in these cool conditions was pretty satisfying. We are still searching for a Timber Rattlesnake within the bounds of the Edge preserve. We will keep searching for and discovering what we have protected within the Edge of Appalachia Preserve.
Posted by: Rich McCarty
