Search found 360 matches

by Carl D. May
August 1st, 2014, 4:39 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Indigos in Mangroves?
Replies: 18
Views: 6302

Re: Indigos in Mangroves?

Carl, that's interesting. I know when I think of mangrove, red mangrove comes to mind. But also that black mangrove, white mangrove, and buttonwood are found in more upland locations. I have even seen gopher tortoise on coastal dunes, so perhaps an indigo in coastal, more upland mangroves are possi...
by Carl D. May
July 31st, 2014, 12:19 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Indigos in Mangroves?
Replies: 18
Views: 6302

Re: Indigos in Mangroves?

Indigo snakes used to be known from Hutchinson Island and other barrier islands in Martin and St. Lucie Counties. Whether they remain or not I don't know although I bet they do. Keep in mind that not all mangrove habitats are the kind you might be thinking of---aquatic, with prop roots and slimy mud...
by Carl D. May
July 31st, 2014, 4:33 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Only took 10 years to find one of these..
Replies: 9
Views: 1875

Re: Only took 10 years to find one of these..

Just so you know, that's a female from what I can see, they get enlarged powerful heads, and I'm guessing it didn't have a very long tail. Excellent find, my favorite turtle species in the U.S.! Agree, the size alone places it in the female category for me. Kind of late in the year for her to be ne...
by Carl D. May
July 30th, 2014, 4:01 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Spur of the moment trip to North Carolina.
Replies: 13
Views: 4494

Re: Spur of the moment trip to North Carolina.

Agree with everyone else--great finds. That mole king is a beaut! Oddly, many of the bridges right on I-95 hold loads of eastern kingsnakes--especially near the border of GA and SC. The granite boulders under the bridges are a good bet at mid morning in the spring before the vegetation overgrows the...
by Carl D. May
July 30th, 2014, 3:55 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Only took 10 years to find one of these..
Replies: 9
Views: 1875

Re: Only took 10 years to find one of these..

Great ! Was that terrapin out crossing the road?
by Carl D. May
July 26th, 2014, 3:55 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Gardening with herps
Replies: 9
Views: 2064

Re: Gardening with herps

Excellent gardening work and produce! Most likely the reason you're not finding anything on your tomato plants (I never find anything on mine either) is because they are toxic. Tomato plants are in the nightshade family and the leaves and stems of the plant are quite toxic. Only the fruit is safe fo...
by Carl D. May
July 23rd, 2014, 4:46 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Spider ID? (Repost from invert forum)
Replies: 3
Views: 1131

Re: Spider ID? (Repost from invert forum)

Creepy?
Oh wait, ALL spiders are creepy to me!
by Carl D. May
July 22nd, 2014, 4:50 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: April-June Finds
Replies: 10
Views: 2503

Re: April-June Finds

I once got my wife's brand new Honda Civic wagon horribly stuck in the ANF. I tried for 9 hours to get out myself before walking 8 miles to the little settlement of Vilas to get help. The underside, wheel wells and even engine compartment were caked with sandy mud so I spent the next day at a Tally ...
by Carl D. May
July 21st, 2014, 4:31 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Ever found the same herp twice?
Replies: 14
Views: 4344

Re: Ever found the same herp twice?

One thing I've noticed about many of these responses-- including my own, is that they involve wild herps that live around our homes. So finding the same animal repeated times way out in the field is especially cool.
by Carl D. May
July 20th, 2014, 4:41 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Ever found the same herp twice?
Replies: 14
Views: 4344

Re: Ever found the same herp twice?

YES! I have found a number of corn snakes repeated times at work where they are common. There will be one with an odd spear point on its head, or one with a certain pattern anomaly that is easily recognizable, or a stump tail, etc. There was a black racer around my house that I accidentally clipped ...
by Carl D. May
July 19th, 2014, 4:45 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Swamp Snake
Replies: 6
Views: 1372

Re: Swamp Snake

I love those guys. Just imagine if they grew to be as large as mud snakes...

Years ago (here I go again with the nostalgia!) Northlake Blvd in Palm Beach County was a hotspot for swamp snakes and you could find 5 or 6 a night on the road.
by Carl D. May
July 15th, 2014, 4:06 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Gilchrist County, FL
Replies: 13
Views: 3707

Re: Gilchrist County, FL

Gilchrist County is one of those places that I drive through on the way to somewhere else but never actually hunted in or around. But from what I have heard anecdotally, the rat snakes from this area (especially the southern portion of the county) can be highly variable and very interesting. I've se...
by Carl D. May
July 9th, 2014, 4:04 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Ocala NF for Scrub Jays and herps?
Replies: 12
Views: 2868

Re: Ocala NF for Scrub Jays and herps?

Ocala NF is not the kind of place to reveal its secrets easily. Amen! There are of course all kinds of herps in the ONF but for me it has been almost totally non productive. Over several decades I have spent countless hours traversing Hwy 40 from Ormond Beach to Silver Springs at all hours of the d...
by Carl D. May
July 6th, 2014, 5:11 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Swallow-tailed Kite Storm
Replies: 5
Views: 1538

Re: Swallow-tailed Kite Storm

AWESOME encounter! Those are one of my favorite birds to see. The gopher tortoise is of special interest because of the split scute on the front of the carapace. Supernumerary scutes, split scutes and other temperature (?) induced shell deformities may be a result of the female gophers nesting on th...
by Carl D. May
July 2nd, 2014, 6:12 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Some 2014 turtles
Replies: 15
Views: 3990

Re: Some 2014 turtles

Great turtle shots Tamara. That hatchling muddy is gorgeous!
by Carl D. May
July 1st, 2014, 4:25 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Two lifers, one trip
Replies: 8
Views: 1902

Re: Two lifers, one trip

Nice going Capn' Jack. I've never seen a wild canebrake either--although frankly, I've never been where they are for long.
I agree about the sting of rattles too--how long did it take this animal to put that one together?
by Carl D. May
June 21st, 2014, 5:17 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Odds and Ends
Replies: 1
Views: 1010

Re: Odds and Ends

Bet you're relieved to be done moving.
Oh yeah, mud turtles are often caught on hook and line. Many are killed by fisherman too.
Nice broadhead photo on the old windowsill. Wonder how many generations of that male's relatives basked in that same spot over the decades?
by Carl D. May
June 21st, 2014, 5:12 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: The month of May and so far of June.
Replies: 12
Views: 2767

Re: The month of May and so far of June.

What an absolutely unique post! Never even heard of finding so many mud snakes in such man made habitat. The scarlet king photo is great and reminds me of so many I found at night in the Ft. Lauderdale area way up in Australian pine trees. But for me, the big question here is...what about rainbow sn...
by Carl D. May
June 18th, 2014, 4:27 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Pine snake in non-piney area
Replies: 23
Views: 6198

Re: Pine snake in non-piney area

I wish ANF was closer to me. Herping there means I have to get a hotel room or sleep in my car, so unfortunately I have to keep my pine snake search within my county. That's OK though, because I feel the law of probability is on my side, and the more I run a road, the better chance I have of seeing...
by Carl D. May
June 14th, 2014, 4:48 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: April to now(pics added 9/14/14)
Replies: 24
Views: 6757

Re: April to now.....mostly chelonians

Nice to see the broad view, in situ finds. I like knowing the background and the habitat of even commonly found species.
The striped mud turtle was a particularly handsome individual.
Hate them yeller flies!
by Carl D. May
June 9th, 2014, 4:16 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Midyear Photo Dump 2014
Replies: 9
Views: 2362

Re: Midyear Photo Dump 2014

Was that the Wakulla River in the shot with the basking suwanniensis? If so, that is the murkiest I've ever seen it and I would guess that your B'Day was soon after the heavy rains the panhandle got a while back.
by Carl D. May
June 8th, 2014, 5:40 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: What went down on the east side of the rivers.
Replies: 6
Views: 3177

Re: What went down on the east side of the rivers.

Great photos with an equally great narrative. Some very evocative shots. Nothing like the north Florida early morning fog! The big turquoise glass lizards are a mystery to me--I have found a few over the years that were eye-popping in their size and beauty but I've never found a glass lizard that wa...
by Carl D. May
June 7th, 2014, 2:50 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Help with three separate IDs for the data base.
Replies: 19
Views: 4741

Re: Help with three separate IDs for the data base.

Is the "snake climbing a tree" a snake at all?? To be honest I think it is a vine...look at the top of the picture... Yeah, I agree - #1 is Southern Toad; #2 is River Frog - the webbing goes all the way down the toe (get rid of bullfrog) and white spotting on the jaw confirms it as hecksh...
by Carl D. May
June 5th, 2014, 11:45 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Family Vacation in Florida May 2014(PIC HEAVY)
Replies: 12
Views: 2366

Re: Family Vacation in Florida May 2014(PIC HEAVY)

Josh Holbrook wrote:Definitely a Pinewoods; no question.

Good post; glad you enjoyed it down here.
Yep, no brainer. Pinewoods snake.
by Carl D. May
June 2nd, 2014, 10:47 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Family Vacation in Florida May 2014(PIC HEAVY)
Replies: 12
Views: 2366

Re: Family Vacation in Florida May 2014(PIC HEAVY)

The best of all is the photo of the kid with the pig or bull frog titled 'LOL'
That shot is hilarious on many levels but both the child and the frog look like that are hating the experience.
by Carl D. May
June 2nd, 2014, 4:52 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Awesome south florida herp trip
Replies: 8
Views: 2351

Re: Awesome south florida herp trip

Nice post boy! Was the long sleeved shirt because of the bugs?
by Carl D. May
May 29th, 2014, 12:25 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Are Vampire Flies Ruining Your Herping?
Replies: 15
Views: 4035

Re: Are Vampire Flies Ruining Your Herping?

Daniel D Dye wrote:Thanks for the comments, guys. :lol:

Here's a little article I wrote about them for our website at work, if you're interested.
http://www.flapest.com/deer-and-yellow-flies
Nice little article. So they are two different species then? Now I wonder which is worse...?
by Carl D. May
May 29th, 2014, 4:30 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Indian River County FL
Replies: 4
Views: 1010

Re: Herping Indian River County FL

Good to see things from Sebastian. The musk turtle is a striped mud turtle, Kinosternon baurii. The cooter is a red-bellied turtle, Pseudemys nelsoni.
by Carl D. May
May 28th, 2014, 4:35 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Are Vampire Flies Ruining Your Herping?
Replies: 15
Views: 4035

Re: Are Vampire Flies Ruining Your Herping?

Yellow flies have ruined many a hike for me. This is what my hand looked like after just about 20 minutes back in June of 2010. Normally you would see that my knuckles stick way up and my fingers are nowhere near this fat. http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss140/cdmay/DSC05956_zpsf2a59309.jpg I was...
by Carl D. May
May 26th, 2014, 5:23 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Meteor Shower Bust
Replies: 4
Views: 1466

Re: Meteor Shower Bust

Forget the herps, the night sky photos are cool! That is a very spiloides looking williamsi.
by Carl D. May
May 23rd, 2014, 4:01 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Anole ID Help
Replies: 4
Views: 956

Re: Anole ID Help

Carl D. May wrote:You nailed them all! Every one is correct including that Afroamerican gecko at the end.

Sorry, I meant amerafrican gecko! Auto-correct got me.
by Carl D. May
May 22nd, 2014, 3:44 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Anole ID Help
Replies: 4
Views: 956

Re: Anole ID Help

You nailed them all! Every one is correct including that Afroamerican gecko at the end.
by Carl D. May
May 21st, 2014, 4:17 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Payne's Prairie Preserve or Highlands Hammock State Park
Replies: 27
Views: 6452

Re: Payne's Prairie Preserve or Highlands Hammock State Park

Nice trip summery with some very good photos too. It always makes me feel good to rescue a dopey gopher tortoise!
by Carl D. May
May 20th, 2014, 4:52 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Florida Keys Part II
Replies: 3
Views: 1575

Re: Florida Keys Part II

Yeah the Keys are crawling with those bark scorpions. In fact, even the bark scorpions are crawling with bark scorpions! http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss140/cdmay/4ccd4b99-3fbb-48c1-9244-0b11afa222d3_zps9fe35873.jpg Makes you wonder how many geckos they consume? However these S. argus were foun...
by Carl D. May
May 16th, 2014, 4:31 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Late Spring in Indiana, and a white whale
Replies: 8
Views: 3504

Re: Late Spring in Indiana, and a white whale

Nice finds but those Kirtland's snakes are really something! Thanks for the great photos.
by Carl D. May
May 14th, 2014, 4:17 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Moving to Brevard County, Florida!!!
Replies: 6
Views: 1407

Re: Moving to Brevard County, Florida!!!

Congratulations on the move. I love Brevard County and wish I could move there myself...Old Florida, you know. As for herping the only thing I know is that there are some healthy populations of diamond back terrapins in the Indian River near Cocoa Beach. Check the mangroves while in a canoe or kayak...
by Carl D. May
May 13th, 2014, 4:18 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: FL Keys Trip - Any suggestions?
Replies: 19
Views: 3062

Re: FL Keys Trip - Any suggestions?

Bark anoles tend to stay higher up on tree branches than brown anoles. I may be wrong here but in my experience they also seem to prefer smooth barked trees too. So seagrape and royal poinciana trees are good as are pigeon plums. Bark anoles are also far less conspicuous than brown anoles and are mo...
by Carl D. May
May 9th, 2014, 5:01 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: FL Keys Trip - Any suggestions?
Replies: 19
Views: 3062

Re: FL Keys Trip - Any suggestions?

When are you going and what key will you be on---or what keys will you most likely visit?
Send me a PM
by Carl D. May
May 6th, 2014, 4:26 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Some Recent Finds
Replies: 5
Views: 1416

Re: Some Recent Finds

simus343 wrote:Looks like that little ring neck had one BIG bite ;) !
Ha! That's what I was thinking too. Boy can ringers open their mouths!
by Carl D. May
May 3rd, 2014, 4:01 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: ANF Trip Species List (If you went, report in here!)
Replies: 48
Views: 7732

Re: ANF Trip Species List (If you went, report in here!)

Wow! That goini is incredible! Liberty County? Did you get that Daniel?
by Carl D. May
April 30th, 2014, 4:34 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: NAFHA Trip
Replies: 15
Views: 3194

Re: NAFHA Trip

Nice shots! The middle specimen is a mimic. The top and bottom glass lizards are slenders. If Carl and Kenny Wray say it's a mimic, by golly, then I concede. :beer: Don't argue with KW. His forum ghost will return and open up a can of righteous smackdown. True. And it will end with "Later, KW&...
by Carl D. May
April 30th, 2014, 4:32 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Panhandle under water
Replies: 6
Views: 1687

Panhandle under water

Watching the Weather Channel I see that the western Florida panhandle is getting pounded by heavy rain. Coupled with the time of year one can't help but wonder what this rain will bring out. Anybody headed that way?
by Carl D. May
April 29th, 2014, 4:40 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Herping Highlights
Replies: 8
Views: 2265

Re: Herping Highlights

Wow girl, you're developing some mad photo skills!
by Carl D. May
April 29th, 2014, 4:38 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: NAFHA Trip
Replies: 15
Views: 3194

Re: NAFHA Trip

Nice shots!
The middle specimen is a mimic. The top and bottom glass lizards are slenders.
by Carl D. May
April 28th, 2014, 4:27 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New Guy. Some pictures of past finds, and a few questions.
Replies: 7
Views: 1270

Re: New Guy. Some pictures of past finds, and a few question

Welcome Solomon! Don't worry, your photos are fine and besides, all of us get better in time. The Florida panhandle is a great area for herping and there are loads of interesting things to find/study. You're right too about the scarlet snakes...I found 14 in one night in the Apalachicola national Fo...
by Carl D. May
April 23rd, 2014, 4:48 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: That's how the barking tree frog do
Replies: 3
Views: 1523

Re: That's how the barking tree frog do

So that's how they do?!
Nice photos and that pig frog is a beauty.
by Carl D. May
April 21st, 2014, 4:12 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Bug ID? Repost from Invert Forum
Replies: 8
Views: 1628

Re: Bug ID? Repost from Invert Forum

Yep, that be the mole cricket. They are a headache for me at work as they make big holes in my otherwise perfect Zoysia grass. But as Ze Frank would say, "That's how the mole cricket do"
by Carl D. May
April 20th, 2014, 5:59 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: 2014 NAFHA Spring trip: ANF!
Replies: 132
Views: 26918

Re: 2014 NAFHA Spring trip: ANF!

Nuts! Obligations will keep me from going up there till Monday the 28th...will anyone still be around?
by Carl D. May
April 18th, 2014, 4:07 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: A few recent finds.
Replies: 4
Views: 2023

Re: A few recent finds.

Nice to see things are awake in SoWeGa. One question: What are those flowers behind the cottonmouth?
by Carl D. May
April 15th, 2014, 5:53 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Salamander Awesomeness and ID help
Replies: 8
Views: 1737

Re: Salamander Awesomeness and ID help

Excellent! What causes the stump tails? I found a slimy in Alabama last fall with a recently stump tail too.