Archive for the 'Identification' Category
By Joshua Biggar
It’s a nice warm day and you decide to go to the lake. You find a nice quiet area away from the crowd and settle down to bask in the sun. However, you soon discover you are not the only one enjoying the warmth of the rays. Laying stretched out on a limb hanging over the water is a large dark snake. You scream, he slithers and the quiet of the day is spoiled for the both of you. Upon hearing the scream, people come running and you explain how a huge water moccasin invaded YOUR territory. But are you sure it was a water moccasin? Maybe not.
All too often non-venomous water snakes are mistaken for the venomous water moccasin or otherwise known as the “Cottonmouth” so named because of its milky white lined mouth. The water moccasin and the water snake have many similarities that allow for these misidentifications. For instance, both species live around creeks, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams or swamps. Wherever there is a water source you are likely to find one of these guys. Another common characteristic of the water snake and water moccasin is their size. Either may grow up to five feet in length. They both have keeled scales, broad, triangular heads and stout bodies. Both species may become aggressive if they feel threatened or if it is mating season.
With all the similarities between the two species, how would one tell them apart? Glad you asked. There are a few differences. As mentioned earlier, the water moccasin has a white lined mouth which it displays wide opened when it feels threatened. Also the pupils of the water moccasin are vertical, meaning that it has what appears to be a slit in the middle, giving it a very sinister look. The water snake on the other hand has rounded pupils . So, if you happen to come upon one of these fascinating creatures and have the audacity to try to identify it, you can either ask him to open wide or simply look him in the eyes. I just suggest you leave well enough alone!
November 03 2007 | Animals and Identification and Info and Random and Reptiles and Snake tips and Water Snakes | No Comments »
By Joshua Biggar
Some are scaly, some are smooth. Some are skinny, some are stout. Some are long, some are short. They’ve been around since the Garden of Eden - and Thanks to that sinister serpent, they’ve gained a bad reputation. However, snakes really aren’t that bad. As a matter of fact, there are some pretty good fellas out there. Let’s take a look at some of the good guys.
The Kingsnake ( hence it name ) will not only keep unwanted rodents off of your property , it will also rid the area of the poisonous ” bad guys “. Kingsnakes vary in size and color due to the region. One of the most beautiful of the species is the Scarlet Kingsnake, which resembles the dreaded Coral snake, however, the color skein is different. With the Scarlet Kingsnake, the red and yellow bands are divided by black. Another distinction between the two snakes is the color of the snakes head. The Coral snakes head is black, whereas the Scarlet Kingsnakes is red.
Another “good guy ” is the Common Garter snake. This snake can pretty much be found in any ones backyard. This snake feeds on pesty insects as well as mice and other rodents. They are harmless, non-aggressive little guys not growing over 36 inches
Last, but not least, let’s give some well deserved credit to the farmers best friend, after his dog of course, the Rat Snake. This snake can do some pretty heavy damage to the rat population. Most farmers welcome these guys because the eat pesty critters that harm their and may carry diseases that could affect their livestock.
So no matter what your view is on snakes. No matter how loud you shriek when you see one. Just remember they are not so bad and deserve a little respect.
September 24 2007 | Animals and Identification and Info and Random and Reptiles and Snake tips | No Comments »
By Frank Stevens
Most people living in urban areas probably have not encountered a snake. Chances are you never will. Even a move to the ‘burbs might not produce any snake encounters. Though the chance of meeting the very common garter snake does increase.
Whether you meet your first snake in your backyard or on a hiking path in the forest, you will want to determine whether it is venomous or non-venomous. Expect for the very curious and studious, this is all that should concern the novice snake hunter.
In the United States of America there is one key characteristic that sets venomous snakes apart from non-venomous snakes. That trait is the eyes.
Venomous snakes have vertical slits for pupils. Sometimes these are called cat eyes. Non-venomous snakes have round pupils.
Do you have to get close to a snake to really tell the shape of its pupils?
Of course, you can’t at one hundred feet. But you can be a good twenty to thirty feet away and get a good look at a snakes eyes without putting oneself in harms way.
There is one exception to this rule. The coral snake has round pupils but is extremely venomous. Fortunately the coral snake is easy to identify because it is one of the most colorful of North American snakes. It is colored in yellow, black and red bands. However, the coral snake has a copycat brethren that has the same colors. The king snake is the coral snakes non-venomous counterpart. How can you tell whether that colorful snake is the poisonous coral or the safe king snake? It come by looking at the order of the colored bands. Remember this poem:
Red on black/safe for Jack
Red on yellow/ Will kill a fellow
Remember too that sometimes the “yellow” of the coral snake is almost “white”.
Coral snakes only live in the very southern portions of the United States and a portion of southwestern states. So if you live in the North, snake identification for venomous snakes is based completely on the eyes.
So the key in basic snake identification is the eyes. Fortunately, the other basic identifier of color, belongs to one of the most colorful snakes there is. So the next time you are walking through the woods enjoying the color of the trees and you see a snake, look for its eyes!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Stevens
September 10 2007 | Identification and Info and Random | No Comments »