I forwarded the messege onto Kelly and he tried to call the guy.....said he left a messege on his voice mail but to try to get a more exact headcount and proper ID if we can.....Glen will call again when he gets off work I guess and maybe we can go see these things. Kelly sounded like its not something to blow off if we cou ld help it....even if it were nerodia, they need to be released and not sold, etc.

Sorry about the mix-matched posts.  I just think you have to pick your battles or you make more enemies than friends.  Good for you for wanting to fight this one, but if this guy thinks that people are calling him just to "get on his case", he'll do more harm in the remainder of his lifetime than sticking 15 baby Nerodia in a barrel.

Honestly, I've given up pretty much on adults (unless I can work with them "gently" over a long period of time).  It's really the kids you have to teach.  Adults just say, "yeah, yeah", and then turn around and do the same dang things.  The only difference is they do it more quietly.

HAHA!!! I got an email back from Kelly again this morning who had this to say........

"" Torry,

I got a call from Chuck after I sent you the message.
Then I had to leave for the rest of the day.
Chuck was taking good care of the animals, in the shade with water source and he was not going to sell them but going to move them away from his house.
I gave him your phone number so you may be hearing from him.
He was excited to know that other snakers lived in the area and he sounded like he would come to AHS meetings so you guys will have another herper to interact with locally.

I can not make it up there as I have other AGFC duties at this time but I contacted Trauth and either he or one of his students will hopefully be going over to document the occurrence.

Best to you all and see you when it gets cooler for herping.

"

I still am most confident that these are, in fact, NOT Copperheads, but baby watersnakes.  Oh well, I guess the truth will come soon enough; after someone who actually knows what they are looking at takes a look at them.

See, I tried to tell ya' they were Coppers.   

Well, that is an extraordinary density!!!  There must be a spectacular cicada emergence in the area, because that's the only thing I can think of that would draw in such numbers and explain the tree climbing.

I've actually co-published about a similar observation of high densities of Copperheads foraging for cicadas by climbing trees.  Only we observed maybe 8 or so adult individuals in an acre-sized area; not 40+!

[color=blueBeaupre, S. J. and K. G. Roberts.  2001.  Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix.  Chemotaxis, Arboreality and Diet.  Herpetological Review, 32(1): 44-45.[/color

Keep us informed as things progress.

Wow....that truly is amazing. I'd be having a field day out there!! hah Definitely keep this thread informed, as I'm very interested to see what on earth is causing such high contortrix numbers.

I had JUST told Glen when he posted the above, that Cicadas dont make noise right out of the shell......they have to dry first and that takes at least a couple hours, depending on the heat. Its not just a security for them, they physically CANT make noise, as their wings make a good portion of the noise. They rattle in the cavity at the base of the wing, which is not possible while they are still wet and flimsy.... gorgeous process though, for anyone who's been able to watch the morph in its entirety.

My science teacher came rushing in one day to get us all to go to the tree in front of the school to watch a cicada about to emerge. I had a front-bark seat within two feet of the bug- and it was at eye level. We were able to watch the back split and the cicada emerge VERY VERY Slowly. I have to say one of the mose gorgeous scenes I've witnessed.

We'll be going back to his house this evening to see what we can see and get any updates on the latest activity... As I've been telling Glen, Im seriously impressed by the response time. I had sent the email to Kelly right away after hearing the tip, and then a few minutes later posted it here. Kelly responded, leaving the voice messege for the man within the hour and about 15 minutes after that, the man phoned Kelly back. Kelly then notified Trauth, which set the wheels  in motion and a student was at the man's property collecting snakes within a couple hours.

I feel very good that we are all on such a good line of communication that we were able to " do something" in a very short span of time. This is going to turn out to be an amazing documentation, which may spawn more discoveries in the near future.... I could have easily tossed the possibility of truth aside and not emailed anybody, though I was also convinced there was some exaggeration afoot= I felt it should not be ignored. Surely the man would have contacted an official to figure out the problem eventually but I am glad I was able to help-- and even more glad that Kelly took the email seriously.

Im not trying to pat myself on the back here, I just think its so important to maintain that relationship with the G&F and UofA, that we can all help each other.... For Science!!! * toast * hehe.

I couldn't agree more Kory.

Stan and/or Kelly should be back at the site later this evening or tomorrow night to release the tagged snakes and start tracking them. Hopefully I'll be able to slide up there and get some good pics!! Last night all we found were a measly 4 coppers in a few minutes

Got a messege from Stan this morning - he had this to say- though we already knew this, its good to hear it first hand.

**This is truly an amazing find.  Documentation (KAIT-TV, Jonesboro) will start tomorrow with the snakes here.  Three of my grad students will be in the field the next two days doing queen snake work.  When they get back, a sample (size still undetermined) will have radio transmitters inserted into them and will be released at ****s house.  These snakes will be monitored for several days.  Other snakes (mostly juveniles) will be released in the vicinity of the property (if thats O.K. with him).  Still others will be processed for food habits and reproductive information.  This approach will allow us to gain some insight as to whats going on at this site.  Yes, the other site would also be of interest.  A report for the AHS will come soon about this aggregate.  My best, Stan **

There's another limited account of a similar occurance a few years ago not too far away. I had informed Dr. Trauth that we also know this contact personally and that we are certain he would give a detailed account. I'll be contacting the friend in the next few days to arrange a phone conversation with he and Dr Trauth.

Stan said KAIT-8 news sent the story to Channel 7, their ABC affiliate. Thats surely how the story got out onto the news.

Tub-o-Snakes!

[url=http://www.herpsofarkansas.com/galleries/displayimage.php?pos=-1721[/url]

2005  Stanley Trauth

Aww- Brad-- you mean you wouldnt believe us simply because WE WERE THERE ??? Dude....Glen was out there a few days later when they were still picking up snakes left and right... I was out there myself and they found one climbing up a fence about chest-high, meanwhile the trash can in the front yard had at least a dozen in it.

When they released one of the tagged snakes, Glen was there with Trauth and his student.

Amazing it is-- hopefully we'll have a bonafide report, Stan said he was working one up for us with a few more pictures.

besides--you were lucky with the big honkin Diamond Back and .... "Tegu' Brade?"