mages for snakes // 765

Redbelly Snake - Storeria occipitomaculata
Status
PROTECTED. It is illegal to kill or collect this species by law in Iowa. Redbelly snakes are common but secretive in Iowa.

Redbelly Snakes, Storeria occipitomaculata, red phase and gray phase, from Butler County, Iowa

  Description
This is Iowa's smallest species of snake measuring 7-10 inches long (Conant and Collins, 1991). It is non venomous. Generally speaking, there are two color phases of this snake and even these are subject to variation. One phase is dark brown to light tan dorsally with a single light mid dorsal stripe. The other phase is a shade of gray dorsally with four black or rust red stripes running lengthwise down the snake.

Redbelly Snake, Storeria occipitomaculata, venter, from Cherokee County, Iowa

  The following characteristics are shared by both: the belly is usually bright red or pink with no markings. There may or may not be three pale spots on the nape. The scales are keeled and the anal plate is divided. The bright red belly with no markings and the presence of dorsal striping is sufficient to distinguish it from other small Iowa snakes.

Redbelly Snake, Storeria occipitomaculata, venter, from Bremer County, Iowa

  Subspecies
There are three subspecies of the redbelly snake, two of which supposedly occur in Iowa. The northern redbelly snake, Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata, differs only by the presence of three light spots on the nape. The other, the Black Hills redbelly snake, Storeria occipitomaculata pahapsae, lacks these spots. These subspecies intergrade throughout their Iowa range. Furthermore, these subspecies are weakly defined and both forms are found in the same populations outside the intergrade zone.
Range
The redbelly snake snake seems to occur through out the northeastern half of Iowa.

County records for the redbelly snake in Iowa

  Habitat
This snake is generally considered a woodland snake, but it is also found in dry sandy habitats. It is often found near marshes, lakes, or other water sources.
Habits
This small snake may be found under flat objects or crawling across woodland trails in the evening or at night. Sometimes they may be found in garages or while moving a woodpile. Great numbers of these snakes are seen in the fall as they migrate to their hibernaculums. They make no attempt to bite when handled, but they may release musk which is relatively mild compared to other species of snakes. The redbelly snake is secretive and their main defense from predators is hiding under rocks, logs or leaf litter. They hibernate underground in rock crevices, abandoned ant mounds, and in burrows dug by other animals. They breed in spring. Five to eight young are born alive in late summer and are very small, only 3 1/2 inches long.

Redbelly Snake, Storeria occipitomaculata, gray phase, from Bremer County, Iowa

  Food
The redbelly snake eats slugs, earthworms, and insect larvae. It is usually very difficult to get these snakes to consume anything other than slugs without using scent-transfer techniques.

Redbelly Snake, Storeria occipitomaculata, brown phase, From Bremer County, Iowa

Redbelly Snake, Storeria occipitomaculata, brown phase, from Clayton County, Iowa

  
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Images for snakes // m876

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texas snakes pictures

Diamondback Rattlesnake - Venomous

Blacknecked Garter - Non-Venomous

Texas Broadband Watersnake - Non-Venomous

Bullsnake - Non-Venomous

Mudsnake - Non-Venomous

Diamondback Water Snake - Non-Venomoous

Texas Rat Snake - Non-Venomous

Rough Green Snake - Non-Venomous

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mages for snakes

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AP Photo/Dev Khalsa

Blanket? What Blanket?
Snakes are known to act drastically when hungry. This 12-foot Burmese python swallowed an entire queen-size electric blanket, with the electrical cord and control box. The blanket must have gotten tangled up in the snake's rabbit dinner, its owner said. He said he kept the blanket in the 60-pound reptile's cage for warmth. The snake required surgery to survive

Texas Poisonous (Venomous) Snakes

.Snakes! Are they sneaky, slimy, scary?...or...skillful and simply sensational? People either love 'em or hate 'em, but either way, snakes play an important role in our world!

Snakes are reptiles. Reptiles are cold-blooded so they must warm themselves in the sun or on rocks. Snakes have skin covered with scales and most lay eggs. Some snakes hold their eggs inside until they hatch. Snakes have no legs and no ears.

Snakes are skilled predators. How would you catch prey without arms or legs? Venomous snakes have poison to inject in their prey. The venom keeps small prey still so the snake can grab it with its mouth and swallow it whole. This is a helpful adaptation for snakes. Snakes help the balance of nature by eating prey that reproduces frequently, everything from earthworms to rabbits. Snakes also eat eggs. Snakes are especially important in the control of mice and rats.

Venomous Snakes in Texas

There are four kinds of venomous snakes in Texas: coral snakes, copperheads, cottonmouths (water moccasins) and rattlesnakes.

Coral Snakes

Only one species of coral snake is native to Texas. The coral snake is shy and rarely seen. It has, in order, red, yellow and black colors. The coral snake has a small mouth, and is usually not aggressive. Its bites are dangerous, but very rare.

Other, harmless snakes have similar colors in a different order. The rhyme "red and yellow kill a fellow" can help you remember that the coral snake's red and yellow colors touch, but the harmless milk snake has red touching black.

What is a Pit Viper?

A pit viper is a type of venomous snake. Copperheads, cottonmouths and rattlesnakes are called pit-vipers because they have a pit near each nostril which is highly sensitive to heat. This pit helps the snake in locating warm-blooded prey.

Copperheads

Copperhead snakes have bands of gray and/or brown with a copper-colored heard. They blend in with leaf-covered forest floors and it's possible to stare right at a copperhead without seeing it! Copperheads bite rather than strike. Because they are so well camouflaged, most bites occur when a snake is accidentally picked up or sat or laid on. Always use care when picking up or flipping over logs, boards, old tin or other items where copperheads may be resting.

Cottonmouths

The cottonmouth, or water moccasin, rarely strays far from water. It can be found in marshes, swamps, ponds, lakes, ditches, and canals in East and Central Texas and along the Gulf coast. It is a stubby, muscular snake and can grow to nearly six feet. When threatened, it will open its mouth to show its fangs. The inside of its mouth is white and reminded people of cotton, hence the name cottonmouth. They eat frogs, fish an small animals. These snakes can be very defensive and sometimes aggressive. They can bite underwater. Swimmers, bathers and anglers on river banks should always keep an eye open for these snakes.

Rattlesnakes

The Western Massasauga lives in prairies from the Gulf Coast up to the Panhandle

The Timber Rattlesnake lives in East Texas.

Western Diamondback lives in North, Central, South and West Texas.

texas snakes pictures

You have to know your texas snakes pictures because these serpents are everywhere in that state.
There are four major ones that you really need to know and the rest are okay.
I have some photos for you to look at and study.
Attention all Cowboys and Cowgirls pay close attention to the coral snake. Remeber Red touch yellow - DEAD FELLOW.

Cotton Mouth - Venomous

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