brentwhite1213's Favorites

En este borde de la laguna, también se pueden observar poblaciones. En una recorrida de menos de 50 metros, observé 8 individuos. Algo que me llamo la atención, eran sus tonalidades más fuertes y llamativas que en el otro sector de la laguna no ví, esas eran más bien oscuras y el azul no estaba tan marcado como en los de esta zona

This specimen was found on Myers road 2.0 miles east of the intersection of Dearing and Myers. This is the furthest west I have found them in El Paso County. This location is further west than any other locality that I have come across in the literature and may represent an extension of their westward range in El Paso county.

Their range may extend a little farther west.

This locality seems to represent a large population. I encountered 12 massasaugas in a few mile stretch of road (Myers), from about a quarter mile east of Lauppe road, to 2.0 miles east of Dearing. All snakes were found on one pass of the road. With that being said, most times I've cruised this road, under ideal conditions, I don't find any snakes. I also very rarely find road kill massasaugas, suggesting that they do not frequently cross this road. Their road crossing behavior may only occur in brief windows, likely spring and fall.

I began searching around 4:30 p.m. 84 F, and didn't encounter a massasauga until sundown. On my way home, I drove Myers and found the 12 massasaugas (and two Bull snakes). Temperatures were in the upper 60s F.

Each snake was found less than a minute after the previous. If I had made more passes of the road, I'm sure I could have found more.

All individuals, except for one, were adults.

I'll also note that snakes appeared to be moving in both directions across the road (north and south).