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Friday, August 19. 2011

North American Natural History Snake Quiz

Name the two species, and explain what is happening:



Ans: Yes, it is a King Snake constricting and preparing to devour a venomous Copperhead. It will take him quite a while to get that big Copperhead into himself, but he'll do it. Snakes stretch.

Posted by Bird Dog in Natural History and Conservation, Our Essays at 11:56 | Comments (9) | Trackbacks (0)

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A King snake killing a Copperhead.
#1 William Bell on 2011-08-19 12:13 (Reply)
I'm guessing black racer munching on some copperhead.

Don't think the black snake is a king snake - wrong belly coloration but I could be wrong - probably am.
#2 Tom Francis on 2011-08-19 12:19 (Reply)
Speckled King Snake in a life-or-death struggle with a Copperhead. Hope King won.
#3 clifford on 2011-08-19 12:29 (Reply)
I was going to guess a black racer eating a copperhead, too. For years we had a black snake under our house - actually, he probably went from house to house. Then one day I saw a hawk with a snake - I'm sure it was our black snake. Shortly after that, my neighbor was bitten by a copperhead. I always liked having a black snake under the house for mice and rats, but I had no idea they ate copperheads, too. I was going to get another one (somehow) but my daughter saw on in our front yard so thankfully we seem to have another of those wonderful reptiles.
#4 mudbug on 2011-08-19 12:31 (Reply)
Black Snake taking out a Copperhead
#5 StlCard on 2011-08-19 12:37 (Reply)
The "Don't Tread on Me" snake demonstrating what happens to those who tread (or in this case slither) on him.
#6 Randall on 2011-08-19 13:49 (Reply)
Huh - how about that - it's called a Desert King snake and it is a copperhead.

Didn't even know there was such a thing as a Desert King snake. I knew there was an Eastern King snake.

Turns out that there are two other black colored snakes that eat venomous snakes - the Indigo snake (never heard of that one but apparently it is the largest snake native to the US) and the previously mentioned black racer.

I always say you learn something new here everyday.
#7 Tom Francis on 2011-08-19 14:01 (Reply)
if thats a copperhead, someone has a lousy camera, or a good camera with little knowledge in how to use it, a copperhead is the color of a brand spanking new penny
#8 bryan on 2011-08-19 23:14 (Reply)
Black King (lampropeltis Niger) eating an eastern copperhead. Copperheads come in may shades of copper.
#8.1 Miller on 2011-12-16 17:56 (Reply)
So what is called for here? White wine or red?
#9 Ralph Thayer, New London, Connecticut (Link) on 2011-08-20 04:18 (Reply)
its a speckled king snake not a black racer or anything else. i own 3 of them. and have them all around my house. and dont say its not cuz it is
#10 keith on 2012-05-25 23:18 (Reply)

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