Desert Exploring

[dirtman13]

Great report Mitch. Thanks for sharing.

[Russ Chung]

I laughed at this Garter Snake. I stopped to take it's picture and when I went to move it out of the road with my foot it did a "Rattlesnake" imitation and shook it's tail, coiled up, and struck at me. Too funny.

Mitch, thanks for the great report. I think you meant GOPHER SNAKE (aka Bull Snake) instead of GARTER SNAKE. Here's the description from Wikipedia:

Bullsnakes are often confused for rattlesnakes and killed by laypersons. Due to its coloration, dorsal pattern, and semi-keeled scalation; the Bullsnake superficially resembles the Western Diamondback Rattler (Crotalus atrox), which is also common within the same range. The bull snake capitalizes on this similarity by performing a very impressive rattlesnake impression when threatened. First, it hisses, or forcibly exhales through a bisected glottis, which flaps back and forth producing a very convincing "rattle" sound. It will also take on a rattlesnake-like "S-curve" body posture, as if it is going to strike. The bull snake will commonly vibrate its tail rapidly amongst the brush or leaves, and flatten its head to make it take on a more characteristic triangular-shaped head of the rattlesnake. These defensive behaviors are meant to scare away threats, not sound an attack.

In contrast to rattlesnakes, which usually keep their tail elevated in order to sound the most efficient rattle, bull snakes tend to keep their tail in contact with the ground, in order to beat it against something to make a sound.

Their rattlesnake mimic is so impressive that it is frequently the bull snake's very undoing when discovered by humans.

[RAT]

Mitch, thanks for the great report. I think you meant GOPHER SNAKE (aka Bull Snake) instead of GARTER SNAKE. Here's the description from Wikipedia:

Bullsnakes are often confused for rattlesnakes and killed by laypersons. Due to its coloration, dorsal pattern, and semi-keeled scalation; the Bullsnake superficially resembles the Western Diamondback Rattler (Crotalus atrox), which is also common within the same range. The bull snake capitalizes on this similarity by performing a very impressive rattlesnake impression when threatened. First, it hisses, or forcibly exhales through a bisected glottis, which flaps back and forth producing a very convincing "rattle" sound. It will also take on a rattlesnake-like "S-curve" body posture, as if it is going to strike. The bull snake will commonly vibrate its tail rapidly amongst the brush or leaves, and flatten its head to make it take on a more characteristic triangular-shaped head of the rattlesnake. These defensive behaviors are meant to scare away threats, not sound an attack.

In contrast to rattlesnakes, which usually keep their tail elevated in order to sound the most efficient rattle, bull snakes tend to keep their tail in contact with the ground, in order to beat it against something to make a sound.

Their rattlesnake mimic is so impressive that it is frequently the bull snake's very undoing when discovered by humans.

Ya beat me to it Russ. We called them Rat snakes in Texas, but Gopher is the going name out here. Cool snakes because they learned to mimick the rattler. I've seen them eat rattlers. Nice find Mitch.

[Geebo]

Even COMPUTER snakes are found by (RAT PATROL)!!lol

[Mitch]

I didn't know what it was so I was going off my failing memory of what Dave said it was (I do remember Bull snake). Thanks for the correction. If it was a Rattlesnake then I would have got it right!

Mitch

[flatpoint]

Yea Mitch...Bull snake. And they get BIG.

[XJJK]

Yes and the big ones bite too! Cool writeup. Makes me wanna go essplorin!