Native Flora & Fauna Forum Post Contest - Page 2 - Orchid Board

orkie · #11 03-18-2010, 01:24 PM

Timber Rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus

The Timber rattlesnake is one of two venomous snakes found in New York (the other being the Copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix). Timber rattlesnakes are a fairly large snake, reaching about 5 feet in total length and can way up to 4 pounds. The large rattle at the end of the tail is its most distinguishing characteristic. A common myth is that you can tell how old a rattlesnake is by how many rattles the tail has; this however is not true. Although a new rattle is added every time the snake sheds, 1) the snake may shed multiple times a year and 2) older rattles wear and eventually break off. Other notable features include its facial pit, which is used for sensing the body heat of endothermic prey, such as mice, shrews, and voles. Like all pitvipers, timber rattlesnakes rely heavily on their facial pits to capture prey in total darkness; you can think of it as an infrared picture that the snake is able to see. Almost all venomous snakes in the U.S. are pitvipers, coralsnakes (Micrurus) being the exception.

Timber rattlesnakes typically inhabit montane habitat in deciduous woods, although they will venture into more open habitat, such as fields during mid-summer. I’ve noticed that areas where wild blueberries grow are often good habitat for these snakes. The female shown in my photos below was found in a rocky area about 45 minutes North of New York City. Rocky areas provide both a den site for overwintering, where many rattlesnakes come together to hibernate, and allow for pregnant females to give birth (they are live-bearing snakes) where the young can easily hide. Additionally, pregnant females enjoy basking on warm, sun-soaked rocks, which speeds the development of the young. Females typically take at least 6 or 7 years to reach maturity, with males maturing in 4 or 5 years.

In New York, these snakes are listed as threatened and have been since 1983, meaning they can’t be killed or captured without a permit from the state. There are several reasons for their decline. General habitat destruction gives these animals little area to live, but even more insidious is den-site loss. Individual rattlesnakes use the same den-site each year, as do their young. The loss of a den-site can cause the rattlesnakes to overwinter in areas that don’t fully protect them from the elements and cause them to freeze to death over winter. And although these animals are now protected, up through the 1970’s, killing as many as possible was considered good sport and encouraged, resulting in very low population numbers. Because these animals take a long time to reach maturity, with the average female only reproducing twice during her lifetime, they have been slow to recover from persecution. Hopefully, with a more environmentally aware public and many known den-sites on state protected land, these beautiful snakes will recover in full.

Fun Facts:

Timber rattlesnakes will spend several weeks in the same place waiting for a small mammal to come by. They are sit-and-wait predators rather than active hunters.

Timbers rattlesnakes use their tongue to pick up odor molecules from prey species and use that information to determine what areas are good for hanging around in hopes of a meal.

Small mammals often use logs as trails through the woods. Timber rattlesnakes frequently will sit next to a log with their head perched atop, waiting for a snack.

In New York, there are two color phases of this rattlesnake, a very dark, almost totally black form, and another, more yellow blotched form, like the female shown below.

The photos (both taken by me) below show the same female, 1) when she was first spotted and 2) when she moved under a rock.

Tindomul · #12 03-18-2010, 01:33 PM

WOW, way cool. Gotta go see that.

Jerry Delaney · #13 03-19-2010, 12:33 AM

Please say hello to Dasypus novemcinctus. If you don't recognize the name, here are a few hints. This small cat sized mammal was the subject of one of Rudyard Kipling's stories. It looks rather like an anteater that didn't get quite finished. During the depression, it was called “Hoover Hog” as it was often hunted for food and tasted similar to pork. It was not seen in the United States until the mid 1800's. In Texas, they are often referred to as “mobile speed bumps”. That's right, we are talking about the nine banded armadillo.
While there are some twenty different species of armadillo, only the nine banded is found in the United States and is common to all of the southern states east of the rockies. The upper portion of it's body is covered with bony plates and this is the only mammal that has real bone incorporated in the epidermal layer of its skin. Only the top half is covered with these bony plates. This animal has often fascinated me for two reasons.
Other than humans, this mammal along with a small number of others (mostly primates) is susceptible to Mycobacterium leprea, the bacteria that causes Hanson's disease, or leprosy. The disease seems to be endemic in the armadillo population in some of the southern states and is transmissible from one armadillo to another. Cases of human leprosy from armadillo contact are evidently quite rare. The fact that armadillo's can be infected with this disease has made them an important tool in the study of Hanson's disease.
Another area of scientific study that nine banded armadillo's play an important role is in the area of multiple births. The mating season for armadillo's occurs in July and a single egg is fertilized. The fertilized egg stays in the uterus but does not implant until about November. This delayed implantation insures that the young will be born in the spring, usually March. However, nearly always, four young will be birthed. The four will also be of the same sex and are identical sisters or brothers. They even share the same placenta. This phenomenon of multiple births from a single egg has made the nine banded armadillo an important subject in the research of multiple births.
Another interesting piece of trivia concerns the number of dead armadillo's along highways. It seems that this animal, when surprised, tends to jump straight up as high as four feet. Pretty well puts them right at bumper height!!
If you would like to read Rudyard Kipling's “The Beginning of the Armadillo's”, you can find it here.
The Beginning of the Armadillos - Wikisource

PS; While not native to California, it is native to states I have previously lived in.

Lorraine · #14 03-19-2010, 09:21 AM

Yikes! Lizards are Everywhere!!

The first thing I noticed when I moved to South Florida 5+ years ago was that there were lizards everywhere I looked. In the garden, on the trees and plants, on the sidewalk running away from me, on MY patio!! What’s the deal here??

I had to find out what they were since there were so many and how to deal with them.

They are Brown Cuban Anoles (uh'no-lee). There is also a Green Anole native to Florida but harder to see and in my area not as many. The size generally is about 5 – 9 inches but the females are smaller than the 5 inches. The males have a dewlap attached to his throat that is orange and they flare/fan it especially while trying to court a girlfriend or maybe to show off to the other Anole guys around. I have observed them doing their daily push-ups and head bobs. Can’t really figure out what that is about but most likely it’s the male territory display. The Green Anole changes color from green to brown like a chameleon although they are not. The Cuban Brown stays brown sometimes darkening trying to hide out in the mulch.

Anoles love insects and are right at home in my pool cage. There are always a few among my many orchids doing their part to keep them clean. Ants beware you are a favorite snack. I have watched an anole on the lookout from a shrub run down grab the ant or other snack and run back to the same spot and do it over and over again.

These little guys are egg layers and little leathery eggs are laid in the garden, 5 to 7 weeks later more Anoles.

They are our Natural Pest Control and please let them stay outside. Florida does not recommend them as a pet. If one does get into your home capturing and releasing them outside is the best because there is not enough food or moisture for them to live inside.

Not to worry they can’t hurt you, their little teeth are so small you would not even notice. If you do handle them wash your hands with soap and water since they are a lizard and may harbor salmonella.

Here are pictures of my very own cleanup crew posing for the camera and helping himself to a bit of dew on the phal spike.