Saturday, July 25, 2015

Sleek, Elegant

While on the walkabout on the job this evening, I had the good fortune to see a sleek, elegant critter, resplendent in pinstripes:




The eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is one of the most common reptiles in the New York metro area, perhaps second to the diminutive brown snake (Storeria dekayi). The site where I ran across this beauty is a garter snake paradise- a nice mix of meadow and forest, with a small body of water. Eastern garter snakes operate as well in the water as they do on land, and take a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate prey. This particular snake is well situated.

The little critter was valiant- it coiled up as if to strike rather than fleeing when the hairless ape waved a camera in its face. I admire a little beast with moxie.

4 comments:

Smut Clyde said...

a little beast with moxie.

WORST RECIPE EVAH

mikey said...

Hah! This is where we fondly remember our old friend Righteous Bubba's recipe generator. THAT was fun....

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Nice pic! In my snake-catching days (coincided with Boy Scout camping days), I found that some garter snakes would just poop on your arm, and some would bite.

But the bites were nothing to dissuade one from picking them up (if you're a person who does that sort of thing).

P.S. The secret to tame Mothras: paper bag, 20 minutes in the fridge.
~

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

WORST RECIPE EVAH

Moxie makes mongoose marvelous!

Hah! This is where we fondly remember our old friend Righteous Bubba's recipe generator. THAT was fun....

Yeah, JanusNode goodtimes!

Nice pic! In my snake-catching days (coincided with Boy Scout camping days), I found that some garter snakes would just poop on your arm, and some would bite.

No wonder we get along!