19 April 2010

Eastern Worm Snake

Posted by Callan Bentley

While on our structural geology field trip this week, my GMU students and I encountered an eastern worm snake, Carphophis amoenus amoenus. The little charmer at first reminded me of a boa, like the ‘rubber boa’ I once found in California (a real animal, not made of rubber), and then I convinced myself it was a glass lizard… But upon the return to civilization, I was able to consult several webpages and confirm that it was in fact an eastern worm snake. Check it out:

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A distinctive “thorn” at the tip of the tail:

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Very squirmy and constrictional little fellow: nosing into me and poking me with his tail “stinger” repeatedly.

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Overall, a cool critter!

…We were also visited by swallowtail butterflies of several flavors:

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