Gene's Notes:
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Fall is always a busy time for spiders, such as the female (right) which was guarding her egg coccoon. Mantids are also active (below). On October 7th, I participated in an initial meeting of the education committee for the SC Parks All Taxa Boilogical Inventory (ATBI) project. On October 13th, I drove some local roads in the late afternoon. I found a DOR Eastern Rat Snake. Then as I headed home, I spotted a DOR Brown Water Snake. Brown Water Snakes are extending their range into the Piedmont of SC. This was the second specimen that I have found in Laurens County. 
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 Spider guarding egg coccoon |
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On October 21st, Win found an AOR large black-phase Eastern Hognose Snake (right). He also brought home a baby Eastern Rat Snake that someone had brought to his office. Hope brought home an Eastern Worm Snake that she had found while working. On October 22nd, I presented a program on nature photography to the Laurens County Photo Club. Win attended the meeting also. We took the Hognose and Rat snakes to let members photograph. The Hognose cooperated with a good death performance. The little Worm Snake had an exceptionally long, sharp end-of-tail point which looked very much like a stinger (below). I expect the myth of a stinging snake had its origin in such an erroneous assumption. The snake's point is just skin, not a venom delivery system. End-of_tail point on Worm Snake |
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October 31, 2009
Contact: South Carolina Reptiles and Amphibians