Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

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BillMcGighan
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Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by BillMcGighan »

This is an interesting theme that may be a little tougher than the last.
The spirit of this theme is to communicate an encounter of herps with any other species, with a pic or story, or both.


General guidelines:
. One post per day.
. No more than 3 pics per post.
. Try to keep pics to be field pics only; no captive pics.
. Pics can be of great or poor quality, as long as they communicate the theme.
. Pics can be from any time in your library.
. If you like, paint a picture with any interesting short story that includes the theme, instead of a pic; take us with you.


Theme 3 will follow next week on Saturday evening, unless contribution momentum slows to a crawl, then we’ll start it sooner.



Theme lineup for first group of themes:
Theme 3 "Herp-in-habitat" shots, habitat only (e.g. habitat shots of amphibian breeding pools.)
Theme 4 First/early herp related pictures where you yourself worked the camera.
Theme 5 Strange thing seen while herping (e.g. warning signs, oddball herps, uncommonly seen/rare things or herps, maybe just bizarre things seen on a herping outing.)
Theme 6 Camouflage (2 photos per post) If possible, a pic to demonstrate camouflaged animal, and a second where the animal can clearly be scene.
Theme 7 Photo bombs (human or otherwise) that get into the frame as you are taking the picture. These would include inadvertent herps that you didn't realize were there when you took the picture.
Theme 8 Dealing with the public, either a lesson or a lecture to a group of non-herpers, LE encounters, etc. The common thread here being a herper in an interaction with non-herper
Coluber Constrictor
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Coluber Constrictor »

.
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

Sharing:
Image030 by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
Nosy Penelope:
ImagePenelope is so nosy by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
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Noah M
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Noah M »

Bent back a palm frond last year and found these two species sharing some space together. It seemed like a good spot to warm themselves and evidently, nobody minded their "roommates".

Image
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SnakeStick
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by SnakeStick »

This was one of my favorite finds during my trip to ENP in December 2013. The garter snake didn't fare too well in this interspecies interaction.

Image
Florida Kingsnake - L. g. floridana / Eastern Garter - T. s. sirtalis by Ian Deery, on Flickr
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BillMcGighan
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Theme #2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by BillMcGighan »

These are all a great start; some you'd expect; some, well, the box turtle may have been "hen-pecked". :roll:


Mosquitoes on some herps; I start itching just seeing these!

I count 6 on the Green Tree Frog and 1 on the vegetation.
(Edit 5 Mosquitoes to 6 on frog!)


Image



Mosquitoes just add insult to injury to this poor Yellow Belly.

Image
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Noah M
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Noah M »

Bill's mosquitoes reminded me of this racer that had a mouth full of flukes or some kind of parasitic looking worm.

Image


And from the local pond - if you look closely a dragonfly has landed on the gator

Image
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »

The Captain's kingsnake photo reminded me of this, from the creek behind the house:
Imageeating by Tamara McConnell1, on Flickr
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Berkeley Boone
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Berkeley Boone »

These pictures are of a face-off between an adult female Chinese praying mantis and a fence lizard. They were about 10 feet up a catalpa tree, just eyeing each other, sizing each other up for approximately 15 minutes. They never ended up challenging each other, and wandered off in different directions. I was hoping for a really epic battle! Oh well!

Image14augIMG_1744 by bwboone, on Flickr

Image13augIMG_1740 by bwboone, on Flickr

--Berkeley
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umop apisdn
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by umop apisdn »

Things were pretty eagerly going at it on this particular night. While I have seen plenty of mixed amplexus between more common species, this was the first I had seen between P. nigrita and P. ornata.

ImageIt's getting out of control! by Mike D. Martin, on Flickr

And a classic symbiosis for the southeast.

ImageGopher Frog and Gopher Tortoise inside burrow by Mike D. Martin, on Flickr
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Noah M
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Noah M »

Tamara D. McConnell wrote:The Captain's kingsnake photo
:lol: I wish I could take credit for that.... :lol:
NACairns
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by NACairns »

Great shots. Umop that P. nigrita and P. ornata photo is an cool observation how long did they remain in amplexus?

Swainson's hawk (Buteo swainsoni) with a plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix) near Val Marie Saskatchewan.
ImageSwainson's hawk (Buteo swainsoni) with a plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix). by nacairn, on Flickr

Northern redbelly (Storeria occipitomaculata) feeding on unknown slug. Near Carberry Manitoba.
Imagesnakefeeding 002 - Copy by nacairn, on Flickr

Rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus) feeding on the eggs and nestling barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) while adults attept to drive it off. Tough old snake was already missing an eye. Near Chaffy's Locks Ontario.
ImageIMGP1291 by nacairn, on Flickr
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BillMcGighan
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by BillMcGighan »

I love it.
Certainly predation and parasitism dominate here, but, just as interesting, we have spatial conflicts, begging, cover sharing, coincidence, sexual identity issues, and species identity issues (at least two turtles who think they are chicken turtles.)


I have to sneak this in before we leave on a trip.






A story, a story.


This is an example of a really blurry picture that has a story behind it.
This story is about the white patch in the center-right of the pic. It is a herp.


Image




My son, then 8, and I were fishing a tiny trout stream in the Shenandoah National Park. It was a steeply inclined free-stone creek that was full of native Brook Trout.

Like many wild trout streams, if you walked right up to a pool, the fish would spook, scatter, and find shelter. They would not take an artificial lure for another good half hour.


My son had gotten very good with stealth, and as he moved to casting distance of a pool, he scared a Pickerel Frog off the bank, which immediately jumped into the pool.

An 8 inch Brook Trout, grabbed it immediately, darted under a rock, and somehow had the frog in its mouth, upside down, so that is the white spot in the crappy picture!
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JakeScott
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by JakeScott »

I have a Cuban that likes'em big...

ImageOsteopilus septentrionalis and Rana grylio by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr

and bluestripe ribbon that likes'em digested.

ImageThamnophis sauritus nitae by Jake M. Scott, on Flickr

-Jake
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Noah M
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Noah M »

I have a Cuban that likes'em big...
This is funny. And this was was how you found them?
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Noah M
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Noah M »

A few things eating.

Gator with unknown species of fish
Image

Cottonmouth with unknown species of frog
Image
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SnakeStick
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by SnakeStick »

As most of you know, it's not uncommon to see more than one species of snake under a piece of artificial cover. These shots are of different species sharing a car hood:

Image
Rat Snake/ Canebrake - P. alleganiensis/ C. horridus by Ian Deery, on Flickr


Image
Rat Snake/ Copperhead - P. alleganiensis/ A. c. contortrix by Ian Deery, on Flickr


Image
Rat Snake - P. alleghaniensis / Black Racer - C. c. priapus by Ian Deery, on Flickr
Tamara D. McConnell
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Tamara D. McConnell »



:lol: I wish I could take credit for that.... :lol:
Oops. My bad. Unless he'd like to be known as Captain Ian. I think it kinda has a nice ring to it.
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umop apisdn
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by umop apisdn »

After the fact interaction, C. constrictor priapus and O. ventralis.

ImageDOR racer with glass lizard by Mike D. Martin, on Flickr


Some things you get to experience via radiotelemetry that you'd normally never have the opportunity to notice. It's likely this eastern glass lizard was sizing up the neonate eastern diamondback for a meal.

ImageStaring Contest by Mike D. Martin, on Flickr


Another similar opportunity granted to me through radiotelemetry. Here, I was able to watch as a southern toad was intrigued by the flicking tongue of a neonate eastern diamondback. While I highly doubt the EDB would lure the toad as potential prey, every hop and shift made by the toad elicited another tongue flick, which drew the toad in closer. I sat and watched for quite some time, but the situation didn't develop much past this point, and there were other snakes to track.

Imagestandoff by Mike D. Martin, on Flickr

*edit - those images were mighty small. Hopefully these aren't too big.
NACairns
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by NACairns »

Man, that is one ambitious Cuban treefrog.
I had a few more:
Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) feeding on a brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) near Bishops Mills, Ontario
ImageGOPR8914 by nacairn, on Flickr

Blanding's (Emydoidea blandingii) and painted (Chrysemys picta) turtles basking Near Kaladar Ontario.
ImageIMGP0179 by nacairn, on Flickr.

Callose-palmed Fence skink (Cryptoblepharus plagiocephalus) feeding on unknown cricket. Near Hyden Western Australia.
ImageCallose-palmed Fence skink_Hyden by nacairn, on Flickr
HerpMan ATL
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by HerpMan ATL »

Black Rat Snake and Chipmunk
ImageChipmunk and Rat Snake by cre8foru2009, on Flickr
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Owen
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Owen »

Berkeley Boone wrote:These pictures are of a face-off between an adult female Chinese praying mantis and a fence lizard. They were about 10 feet up a catalpa tree, just eyeing each other, sizing each other up for approximately 15 minutes. They never ended up challenging each other, and wandered off in different directions. I was hoping for a really epic battle! Oh well!

Image14augIMG_1744 by bwboone, on Flickr

Image13augIMG_1740 by bwboone, on Flickr

--Berkeley
...and the Sceloporus would lose:

Image

Image

In this case, European Mantis.
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JakeScott
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by JakeScott »

captainjack0000 wrote: This is funny. And this was was how you found them?
Yep, it was a rainy night in ENP and something just didn't look right about the clump in the road we just passed. We turned around, and that's what we saw.

-Jake
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Noah M
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Noah M »

I went out log flipping today and while I did not find what I was looking for I did find two different species interactions. I probably wouldn't have photographed this first one if it weren't for this themed post.

I came across a bright white slider shell. These things practically glow in the gloomy shadows of cypress swamps.

Image

I figured I would get a belly shot - and thats when I noticed a small companion (lower left on the shell)
Image

Image

I also came across this miniature death scene under a log. Is that a spider web? Or is that fungus growing around the Greenhouse Frog?
Image
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BillMcGighan
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by BillMcGighan »

Cuban Tree Frog got the bad side of this interaction.
This was sticking out of the apron of a trailer.




Image
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Lloyd Heilbrunn »

Image
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noah k.
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by noah k. »

Timber Rattlesnake and Copperhead, North Georgia

Image

Garter Snake and Copperheads, North Georgia

Image

Northern Water Snake and Common Snapping Turtle, Eno River NC

Image
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by BDSkinner »

Image

I really enjoy walking up on things that are feeding. This worm was pretty big, but no match for the spring. Luckily, I got to watch the whole process. It was a choice between the worm and a nearby two-lined, the worm lost...


Image

A nice little frog with some little mushrooms. Not the perfect 'toadstool' picture but it's got my two favorite things in it.

By far my favorite species interaction time has to be the spring Ambystoma migrations. It seems each year in my area I see more species and more of them. It is truly an overload after a long winter hiatus of cold, indoor activities. Always my favorite time of year.

-Brad
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Noah M
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Noah M »

noah k. wrote:
Northern Water Snake and Common Snapping Turtle, Eno River NC

Image
I don't see the snapper. I even zoomed in and couldn't find it.
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umop apisdn
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by umop apisdn »

Right near the center. Little guy, head outstretched.
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Berkeley Boone
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Berkeley Boone »

captainjack0000 wrote:I don't see the snapper. I even zoomed in and couldn't find it.
The snake's tail is pointing to it, Noah. Right in the center.
--Berkeley
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Noah M
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Noah M »

Image

I zoomed it. What I saw was a knob (or maybe wet acorn?) on the log and a leaf sitting next to it that resembled a turtle. I don't see any turtle limbs. The knob does look like an outstretched turtle head, but the rest of it, up close, does not.

If that isn't what you all are talking about, then I dunno....

This is why I want the camouflage themed post. I just can't see these things. :lol:
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SnakeStick
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by SnakeStick »

These themed threads have been great. There's a lot of neat observations here!

I've got a few more things to add. Here's an eastern hognose that was an unwilling host to some young, engorged mites. You'll probably have to zoom in a little bit.

Image
H. platirhinos - Eastern Hognose by Ian Deery, on Flickr

These two were sharing a piece of tin in mid-May,


Image
Copperhead (A. c. contortrix) and Canebrake (C. horridus) by Ian Deery, on Flickr


And an ambitious corn snake that raided the flycatcher nest in my backyard. It ate a few of the hatchlings and tried, in vain, to take one of the adults. They fell out of the birdhouse during the struggle.


Image
P. guttatus - Corn Snake by Ian Deery, on Flickr
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Rich in Reptiles
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Rich in Reptiles »

Loving this thread!!

Tamara, those "chicken turtles" are so adorable!
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Adam Cooner
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by Adam Cooner »

Image
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soulsurvivor
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by soulsurvivor »

Eastern garter and a five-lined skink from my backyard this past spring.

Imagesoutheastern five-lined skink and eastern garter by soulsurvivor08, on Flickr

Also from the backyard......an adult broad-headed skink devouring a Cuban brown anole. My husband witnessed the whole event and took a few photos of the process.

Imagebroadheaded skink devouring cuban anole by soulsurvivor08, on Flickr

Death in the Everglades.

Imagealligator rectal exam by soulsurvivor08, on Flickr

~Bree
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noah k.
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by noah k. »

Yeah other Noah, that's the turtle! I wasn't sure it was a turtle either until I captured it!
cherper
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Re: Theme 2 - Interspecies interaction.

Post by cherper »

I posted this photo of two buddies hanging out talking about the weather under a warm piece of tin on a later theme but this seems more appropriate for this one.

Image

Cary
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