1 Topic by mikemike

  • mikemike
  • mikemike
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Ft. Smith
  • Registered: 2010-06-22
  • Posts: 632

Topic: Searching for Arkansas royalty

The past couple weeks, I've made a few trips to a certain watershed to look for a certain less common snake.

The first trip started out pretty good, seeing two individuals within the first 5 minutes, but nothing for the next couple hours. I did manage a handful (literally) of sipedon, and this little Pseudemys:

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/157/e/9/i_need_a_clever_title____by_michael_ray-d3i95hz.jpg

The day ended in a pretty big bummer when I found this though:

Regina septemvitatta - Queensnake that someone had bashed with a rock not too long before I showed up.
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j201/MikeMikeUxWxC/MS1_3187.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j201/MikeMikeUxWxC/MS1_3188.jpg


That was about it for the day. The next trip, to a spot a few miles north, again yielded no snakes other than Nerodia.

Tuesday I decided to head back out one more time and check the same spot I had checked the first time. Within the first 15 minutes or so of flipping, I noticed this ugly thing crawling through some rocks a couple feet away. 

Regina septemvitatta - Queensnake.
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j201/MikeMikeUxWxC/Queen.jpg

Success! I guess they top out around 24 inches or so but this guy went approximately 27.5 when I string measured him. (Not 100% accurate, but within half an inch or so)

I also turned up this little guy. Almost attractive for what it is.

Nerodia sipedon pleuralis - Midland watersnake
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j201/MikeMikeUxWxC/sipedon-1.jpg

Michael Spencer 
http://www.michaelrayspencer.com
http://www.facebook.com/michaelrayspencer

mikemike's Website

2 Reply by mountainman

  • mountainman
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Jonesboro
  • Registered: 2005-10-07
  • Posts: 738

Re: Searching for Arkansas royalty

That crushed queen hurts me!  The other one looks nice, though! That was the first species I studied when I moved to Arkansas.  Still a sentimental species for me...

It's never worth it to communicate with people. --Jacob

The only difference between the government and the mafia is that the government calls its bill collector the “IRS” and the mafia calls its bill collector “Big Louie.” 

NOBAMA:  Keep the change.

3 Reply by mikemike

  • mikemike
  • mikemike
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Ft. Smith
  • Registered: 2010-06-22
  • Posts: 632

Re: Searching for Arkansas royalty

I bet. I'm definitely going to be going out again to look for a smaller, more patterned individual to shoot. I've seen killed snakes everytime I've been out so far. The queen, a rat, and a cotton, all killed on purpose I'm sure. It's pretty bad.

Michael Spencer 
http://www.michaelrayspencer.com
http://www.facebook.com/michaelrayspencer

mikemike's Website

4 Reply by amercnwmn

  • amercnwmn
  • amercnwmn
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: NW Arkansas
  • Registered: 2006-04-09
  • Posts: 1,264

Re: Searching for Arkansas royalty

Excellent finds! Sorry to see the killed snakes.  Too bad you can't post a sign "video surveillance:  It is illegal to kill a snake in Arkansas..You will be fined" LOL!!

I'm about to have an abruptly.

5 Reply by kaptainkory

  • kaptainkory
  • kaptainkory
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Bella Vista, Arkansas
  • Registered: 2002-04-16
  • Posts: 3,513

Re: Searching for Arkansas royalty

Good find.  I guess I'm going to have to hit one of the few remaining reliable localities to find another one myself.  I've spent the last 3 years or so targeting a lot of *potential* localities in hopes of turning one up in more "marginal circumstances".  I didn't have time for extensive searching while at ecology camp, but I did get out a couple of times.  They are known to have occurred historically around the Hot Springs area; recorded by the collectors, in fact, as one of the most *common* snake species encountered.  So, I flipped a LOT of stream-side rocks in the area and came up again with a big 'ol goose egg.    sad

Kory Roberts: Email | Facebook | Flickr | Last.fm | YouTube

kaptainkory's Website