FieldHerpForum

As usual this summer has been busy and I haven't had time to post in a while (catch-up posts forthcoming). We're still dry as a bone here in central SC but the approaching fall has started a few critters moving. What this late summer has lacked in quantity, though, it has made up for with quality.

Most of herping in the last few weeks has been restricted to roadcruising. Pigmys have really been moving in the sandhills shortly after dark.


Pigmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius)





neonates have also started to show up.





an especially pretty anery individual




I had to rub my eyes and pinch myself when this materialized in the headlights well after dark...


Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) - as found

prettied up for photos




Imagine my surprise when another turned up at night a few days later


Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) - hatchling

With the hot conditions and lack of rain flipping has been totally unproductive... with one glaring exception...


Eastern Coral Snake (Micrurus fulvius)

Corals are a real rarity in inland SC and are restricted to the driest sandhill habitats. This was my first (inclduing DORs) after living in the region for several years.

Pretty pic




Due to the drought conditions, nearly every wetland in our area is dry so unfortunately I don't have any recent aquatics to post. However, I thought I'd throw in one from last year that I never got around to posting.


Mud Snake (Farancia abacura) - anery

I'd say that this fall couldn't get any better but hognose season is approaching...

Nice post. That coral looks pretty girthy -- does have onther snake in it? That mudsnake is interesting -- the belly looks a lot like a getula.

Corals truly are rare in the Carolinas. There probably isn't a harder snake to find. Which county did you find it in? Pine snakes on the road at night are also rare. Great stuff.

FH

That's an odd mudsnake! Great find.

Great photos of some beautiful snakes! Especially liked the pines and the anery mudsnake, what a bunch of great finds!

Quality vs. quantity, nice job. Cool looking snakes, those coral pics are off the hook!

-rob

Cool - those are some nice finds!

Mike

wow man, if you find a southern hog and you can retire from SC herping!


That coral looked gravid to me judging how the scales were pretty stretched and the bulge just above the cloaca. But isn't past egg laying season for them??

Those are indeed some sweet finds. Nice lookin pigs and pines. That coral looks like it has recently had another snake for a meal.

Congrats on the Coral! Is that from the money spot on the SRS?



Oh come on, simus are old hat for you. Go find a cingulatum...

I don't think a post has made me this jealous so far.... good job!

-Will

Nice finds I was just in SC last week.

Hey JD, how's life? Looks like nocturnal pines are all over the place now. This one was from this past Sunday night:

JD-
Those are all KILLER! That is the fattest coral I have ever seen! Thanks for posting that anery mud. That trumps all of Cameron's pictures I've seen. I wanted to photo that one that Stephanie caught a couple of years ago, but it escaped before I had the chance. What a fantastic picture.
Let me know when you make it up this way man.
--Berkeley

A really fine post JD! I can't remember ever seeing a SC Coral posted on here before. Sweet pics. Thanks for sharing.

scott

That Coral is BEAUTIFUL!!!! Looks to have had a big meal or very late in the year gravid female.

Nice post, love the Pines as well


Dave

Anery mud! Excellent!!! those pygs are a pretty too. Pines, always very good too see...what else....oh yeah that coral! Very thin yellow banding. I have to make it up there sometime again soon.

-Jake Scott

Great finds man. That Anery Mud is awesome looking, it does look like a getula. Yeah, I would say that Coral ate something big and the Pines are very cool finds. I didn't know the pygmy's started out with that yellow color. Great post.

Kevin- Nice Pine!!!

Thanks all.

The coral was a juvenile, probably a yearling and yes, it appeared to have eaten another snake (I'm betting it was a Tantilla, which are also common in the area).

Anerythristic mud snakes are actually fairly common in our area, I'd say 1 in 20 or so that we catch. That one was especially pretty, though.



Thanks! I had pretty much written off ever finding a coral here, but I guess perseverance payed off. All snakes were from Aiken Co., some from the Savannah River Site.





Thanks! yes the coral was from one of the spots where they have been found most frequently, but not the spot Whit always calls the "money spot." I'm starting to think they aren't nearly as localized as people tend to think, just extremely secretive. The same goes for pigmys. Everyone used to talk about them being very local, but I've been turning them up all over the place on site and off.



I've been thinking the same thing and I think I might make a concerted effort this fall if I can find time. Let me know if you're ever thinking of 'mandering in the Carolinas



Hey Kevin. Things are going well. I've been enjoying your posts recently, nice to see you're hitting the roads again. That pine is a 'beaut. I guess I never really believed that they moved much at night but go figure.

Good to see you posting here JD! I found an anery mudsnake in central FL. Those seem to pop up all over. No rat snakes? I do appreciate the photos you provided for my presentation. It's going to work out very well.
Daniel

That's a gorgeous coral! I'd sure like to try cruising for pines at night, but the reserve in Horry Co. where I know they are is closed to the public at night.

Great post. Nice coral. Pygmies are great looking, especially the juvie
Rob

HOLY SMOKERS DUDE!!!

Awesome stuff !!!

I've been living on the far side of south carolina for three years now and have yet to see a coral OR a pine here. Either would be freakin sweet. I went to a spot yesterday that is about half way between you and I that has pine, simus, and pigmy records. The only notable herps were a bazzilion hecksheri.

Thanks for sharing!
MATT

Awesome post. Love the pine snakes...