A Feisty Eastern Garter Snake

Three weeks ago, I was once again up in northern Ohio to assist with some salamander research. Our journey that day brought us across a rough and windy Lake Erie to South Bass Island. To get to the site, we had to walk about halfway across South Bass Island, one of the many islands found in Lake Erie. South Bass Island is better known for the town of Put-In-Bay which covers most of the island. Once we arrived at the forested site - a piece of secondary forest with caves scattered about - we began looking for the lead phase of the Red-Backed Salamander. This post isn't about the salamanders, but instead it's about another "herp" we found. A very feisty herp.

Meet the Common Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis. Specifically, this is the subspecies Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis, the Eastern Garter Snake. This is the only subspecies of T. sirtalis found in Ohio, and is one of the more drab subspecies if you ask me. Eastern Garter Snakes are the most common garter snake species in Ohio and are also one of the most common snake species in Ohio. This species is a medium-sized snake, normally reaching lengths between 1 and 3 feet. Eastern Garter Snakes can be found in a variety of habitats, inclduing forests, fields, abandoned farmland, city parks, and more, many times preferring to be in a moist place near water.

This individual immediately coiled up and took a defensive stance when we flipped the tile over (the tiles are used to attract salamanders). If we got too close it would strike. This was, from both of our experiences, unusual. This individual was a male, and typically the males are pretty calm and prefer to flee instead of trying to fight. The females are the more "violent" ones. Like most reptiles, Eastern Garter Snakes tend to be more calm the cooler the temperature, and this day was quite chilly (mid 40's). Studies have shown that as the body temperature of a Common Garter Snake decreases, they tend to become more defensive instead of trying to flee. When it gets to a certain point, the lower the temperature is, the more apt they are to remain passive instead of becoming defensive. This individual kept up the defensive act the entire time though.

We snapped a few more photos and left him alone. His defensive behavior allowed for some great photos. It is important to note that Eastern Garter Snakes are harmless. They can and will bite (especially the females), but a bite will only draw a bit of blood, if that. They will only bite if you go to pick them up, so don't try to pick one up if it is acting like this. In fact, most snakes in Ohio are relatively harmless, aside from the three venomous species found here (which are all relatively uncommon to rare). Snakes, as a whole, are very beneficial to humans and definitely don't deserve the bad rap they get, but that's a rant for another time.

I've been really busy lately with college, and sadly I haven't been able to get as many posts written as I would have liked. I have about 5 more in the works, so be on the look out for those! I'll have a lot more time to write once the semester is up, so hopefully I can catch up. Thanks for reading!

A Gentian and an Orchid

About three weeks ago, I and a couple of other Ohio University students made the trip up to northern Ohio to assist with a graduate student's salamander research. While up in Erie County, we decided to stop by Castalia Quarry Metropark to check it out.

After pulling into the parking lot, we decided to head down the Fringed Gentian Trail. After a few feet in a forest, the trail opened up to this limestone-based prairie. Knowing that this was prime blooming time for the fringed gentians, I eagerly began searching the grasses for a fringed gentian, a lifer for me.

After only about 3 minutes of searching, a medium-sized blue flower caught my eye. Quickly moving to it, I laid eyes upon a beauty of a flower. There are multiple gentian species in Ohio, including two of the fringed kind (which get their names from the fringing on the flowers). These are the Lesser and the Greater. The ones I came across at Castalia Quarry were the Greater Fringed Gentian, Gentianopsis crinita. This species is state-listed as "Potentially Threatened." As of 2008, this species has been recorded in only 10 counties here in Ohio, mostly in the north and northeast.

So why is this a Greater Fringed instead of a Lesser? Both occur in Erie County, so I wasn't sure. I didn't feel comfortable enough making the ID, so I consulted the Facebook group Ohio's Wildflowers and Flora. Andrew Gibson, a field botanist for ODNR and the blogger who runs the amazing Natural Treasures of Ohio, IDed it as a Greater Fringed Gentian. He said "there is distinct fringing across the summit of the petals and the cauline leaves are more lance-ovate and stubby. Lesser Fringed Gentian's leaves are much narrower/linear and longer by comparison."

Greater Fringed Gentians can be found in wet meadows and prairies, ditches, fens, and a variety of other open habitats. This is an Autumn-blooming species which blooms from September to October, which is relatively late in the year for flowers. They were definitely one of the coolest flowers I've seen, and they're definitely worth a look for those interested!

While I was taking pictures of the prairie area, the others of the group decided to head back to the car. After I was finished with my photos, I began heading back to the car myself. Along the way, a tiny spike of white flowers made me freeze. Looking over, I saw to my surprise that it was none other than a species of ladies'-tresses, a type of orchid. Closer inspection revealed it was the Great Plains Ladies'-Tresses, Spiranthes magnicamporum, which is yet another state listed plant (Potentially Threatened). As the name suggests, this is a prairie species that is at home in the Great Plains. This species, however, does exist in other pocket prairies throughout the east, including a few places throughout Ohio.

This ladies'-tresses orchid is quite similar to S. cernua (in fact, it was considered the same species until 1973), but there are a few distinguishing features. The Great Plains Ladies'-Tresses is found in prairie habitats; the one above was found in a dry limestone prairie for example. There are also no leaves on the stem when this species flowers, and instead is just the stem coming straight up from the ground with a spike of white flowers. Closer inspection of the flowers also holds some identification traits. As you can see in the photo above, the lip of the flower curls downward. The sepals, which can be found above the curled flower, extend past the lip of the flower. This species also has a very strong scent.

Both of these flowers were a completely unexpected find; I'm very happy we stopped by the park! I've been going on these weekend salamander research trips for the last 3 weeks, and I've seen a lot of cool stuff. I'll be working on a few more blog posts that go over some of the things I've been able to get photos of, so stay tuned!

Spiny Oak Slug

About two weeks ago I was hiking up along the Radar Hill Trail at The Ridges in Athens. I was checking trees along the path every now and again to see if I could find any cool caterpillars, as late Summer and early Fall are really great times for these Lepidoptera larvae. Lepidoptera is the order of insects that includes the moths and butterflies. As I glanced over a low oak tree, a small quarter-sized blob of colors and spikes grabbed my attention about 7 feel off the ground...

Upon closer inspection, I saw this colorful "blob" was actually a Spiny Oak Slug caterpillar, Euclea delphinii. Although the word "slug" is in the name, these are not actual slugs, nor are they even closely related; slugs are molluscs and the Spiny Oak Slug is an insect. Moth species in the family Limacodidae are typically called "slug moths" because their caterpillars look very similar to slugs. Check out Jim McCormac's blog post on slug caterpillars to see their slug resemblance, as well as to see some of the simply outrageous forms these caterpillars come in.

Spiny Oak Slugs come in a variety of colors ranging from green, yellow, red, and orange. Although they are called Spiny Oak Slugs, the larvae feed on a range of woody plants and not just oak trees. You can find the larvae here in Ohio typically from August to October. Many slug moths, including this one, are actually stinging caterpillars, meaning they can sting other creatures. Those spines you can see all over the caterpillar are specialized hollow setae that will inject poison into predators. With humans, most of the stings happen accidentally as a person rubs against one when hiking or touching a plant; these guys do not go out of their way to sting humans. When a person does get stung, the level of pain can vary not only with the species (as some have stronger poison than others), but can also vary depending on how reactive you are to the toxin. Generally speaking, Spiny Oak Slugs only cause mild discomfort. Still, slug caterpillars are those types of animals where you should only look and not touch.

Yet Another Snapper

I was walking around Ohio University several days ago with Olivia Brooks, who runs the Twitter account Wild Earth, a new all-around nature account. We were specifically checking out the small creek that currently runs through Emeriti Park, along the Oxbow Trail road, and out around West Green. This waterway wasn't always a small creek; this is actually the remnant of the Hocking River. The Hocking River used to cause major flooding for Athens and Ohio University. In the 1960's they began to reroute the Hocking River around the university, thereby making sure that it would not cause such major flooding in the future. What was left in the old riverbed was this tiny creek which helps feed two ponds in Emeriti Park, as well as helps divert rainwater to the Hocking River.

Find the turtle.

Even though the mighty river no longer flows here, the creek is still teeming with life. There's a muskrat who patrols the waters around West Green. I, along with many others, have seen Northern Watersnakes hunting for prey in the water. Many frogs call the creek home, as well as many small fish (I don't know the species present, but would love to find out). Dragonflies and damselflies patrol the skies above the creek hunting down other insects. But those aren't the only things lurking in or near the creek. This past Spring I found a hatchling Common Snapping Turtle in the creek and made a post about it. This time around, as Olivia and I were patrolling the creek, she pointed out a turtle up ahead of us.

As we got closer we saw it was another Common Snapping Turtle, a decently-sized one at that. The Common Snapping Turtle, Chelydra serpentina, is the largest turtle species in Ohio. Their carapaces (the upper part of the shell) can reach lengths up to 20 inches, although 10-18 inches is the average. They usually weigh 10 to 35 pounds, although the largest wild specimen caught weighed about 74 pounds. Although we couldn't measure this individual exactly, it's carapace was about 9-11 inches long. Notice the long tail, one of the initial characteristics that might tell you you're dealing with a "snapper."

I decided to get some close-up shots since he (or she) decided to just stay put as we watched him. I've never been able to inspect an adult Common Snapping Turtle so closely, so I definitely jumped on the chance to do so. This species has a large head with a pointy snout, as you can see above. Notice how rough the skin is around the neck. Also notice the black streaks around the eye. The eyes actually have similar markings, helping add to the camouflage. This camouflage not only helps to protect the individual from would-be predators (although an adult does not have many predators), but also helps it to be a better predator. Adults typically employ a "wait and ambush" technique when hunting. They will sit in the water without moving in an attempt to look like just another part of the creek or pond bed. Whenever some sort of prey gets close, they will lunge out and grab it. This species is opportunistic and will eat just about anything it can get, whether it be fish, insects, birds, or even small mammals. 

Another interesting aspect of the turtle that many people don't get to see is the serrated backside of the carapace. The carapace is also keeled, meaning it has raised, pointed parts of the shell. These are very pronounced when the turtle is young, but tend to wear down as they get older. An old individual might appear to have a flat carapace. The individual we found still had the keels present, but they were not overly pronounced. As a result, I would say this individual is probably between 5 and 15 years old. (Also to note, unlike box turtles and tortoise species, you cannot count the rings on their carapace scales to determine the age.) Dr. Sue, one of the professors at OU who specializes in turtles and turtle reproduction, said she had seen this individual a few years back, so it's definitely been hanging out in the creek and ponds. It makes me wonder if the hatchling I found earlier this Spring is the offspring of this individual. I am pretty sure there is at least another larger individual that lives in one of the ponds at the Emeriti Park as well.

As you probably know, Common Snapping Turtles are not a species you want to mess with. They are very aggressive out of water, and typically much more relaxed in water; however, even in water they can and will hurt you if it perceives you as a threat. Honestly, just don't touch these guys. There's really no safe place you can touch them, as their neck is extremely flexible and can reach just about anywhere on their body. If you see one, give it space.

A Nature Hike at The Ridges

This past Monday I co-led a trip to The Ridges with the Ohio University Wildlife Club, of which I am the secretary. This trip was a nature hike that was aimed at finding herps, finding insects, doing some birding, and basically looking at whatever else caught our attention as we made our way through The Ridges, which is on the outskirts of Athens. We had a much, much larger group than we expected (we had about 15 members show up but were honestly only expecting 5 or so), most of which were freshmen.

While up on the Radar Hill Trail earlier last week, I noticed a lot of Common Milkweed individuals. I thought it would be fun to fan out and search the plants for any caterpillars (especially Monarchs) that might have been chowing down.

Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, is probably the most common milkweed species here in Ohio. The photo above (Taken at Rhododendron Cove SNP in Fairfield County) shows what they look like earlier in the Summer as they are flowering. I've previously covered Common Milkweed, and other milkweed species, in a post that you can read here. At the time of the trip up to The Ridges, the flowers were long gone and the plants each contained a few "seed pods," better known as follicles. These follicles contain many silk-like hairs that are attached to seeds. These silky hairs are known as pappus, which help scatter the seeds when they are caught by the wind. 682 acres of the land at The Ridges is actually set aside as a land lab where Ohio University faculty and students teach and conduct research. As a result, I'm pretty sure all these Common Milkweed plants have been planted there and did not just occur naturally. That is actually a very good thing, as I will get into here in a moment...

The main goal I had in mind, as I stated before, was finding Monarch Butterfly, Danaus plexippus, caterpillars. We fanned out and began searching the milkweed individuals for the caterpillars. A few minutes in, a voice called out exclaiming they found one. We all closed in to get a closer look at the nicely-sized green-white-and-yellow caterpillar. Monarchs are completely dependent on milkweed species for survival. Eggs are laid on milkweed, the caterpillars hatch and eat the milkweed, they metamorphose, then the adults mate and lay more eggs onto more milkweed and the cycle begins again. In fact, there are 4 generations of Monarchs a year. The overwintering adults migrate from Mexico up to the US each Spring and lay eggs; this is the first generation. Then, those of the first generation lay the second generation, and those lay the third. The interesting ones are the fourth generation. Unlike the first three generations, which die after laying their eggs, the fourth generation actually migrates over a thousand miles to Mexico. This migration happens in October. As for our individual, I'm pretty sure he (or she) is part of the 4th generation, which means after he metamorphoses in his chrysalis, he will begin his very long journey to Mexico to overwinter!

The milkweed the caterpillars consume isn't just important as a food source, however. Milkweed species contain a type of toxin known as cardenolide glycosides. Cardenolide glycosides in the plant are consumed by the caterpillars and stored, rendering the individual toxic to predators. After metamorphosis, they still retain the toxin, but they move much of it to the wings as some predators will attack the wings first. This toxin makes the wings taste very bad, and will also make the predators, namely birds, sick. Other species simply tear off the wings of butterflies and eat the body right away. As a result, Monarchs store the most potent toxin in their abdomen, which upon ingestion will make a predator quite sick. Although the Monarch individual might be killed, this will most likely ensure that predator will never again eat a Monarch, thus overall improving the chance of Monarch survival. The bright coloration of the adults warns predators of such a fate that might come from eating them. Monarchs aren't the only species to capitalize on this toxin; many other insect species which feed on milkweed are also toxic and brightly colored to warn predators of that toxicity.

An adult Monarch Butterfly from Pickaway County a few years ago.

Now, many people on the trip were surprised when I told them Monarchs are badly in trouble. As in "their population has declined by 90% over the last 15 years" badly. Yes, 90%. Their population, which had a high of over 1 billion overwintering individuals in 1996, was only 33.5 million in 2013. The average is about 350 million overwintering individuals a year. This decline is so bad that many are pushing to list Monarchs as threatened, a move I am for as well. So why the dramatic decline from 2012 on? Well, there are many factors. One is the 2012 drought which killed many. Another factor was the cold temperatures of the Spring of 2013, which slowed the growth of the first generation and messed up that year's schedule. Monarchs are also facing a severe loss of habitat in their overwintering grounds in Mexico, which is hurting overwintering survival. However, they are hurting for breeding habitat too. Monarchs require milkweed, and milkweed population has declined by about 60% in the last decade. This is due to many factors such as drought, new agricultural methods, and the mowing of roadsides (a favorite place for milkweeds to grow). As an aside, please consider growing milkweed on your property. Any bit helps. Anyway, all these factors have come together to decimate the population. You might have noticed that you haven't seen many, if any, Monarchs this Summer. That's not because you're missing them, that's simply because their population is that low right now. It's horribly sad, and if this trend continues their future looks very, very grim.

We also were able to relocate a deer skeleton that I stumbled across last Spring semester. I found a semi-decayed carcass in probably March or so, and the months following that had gotten rid of everything remaining but the bones. I led the group back along a small creek and had them look for any remains of the White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, among the tall boneset flowers. We scanned the area once and found nothing. We gave up and turned back to the main trail. A few seconds later someone called out they saw bones. I parted the 2-foot tall plants covering the area and saw a rib and some assorted bones. A quick search of the immediate area found much of the skeleton, including the skull and both jawbones. We decided to take those back with us to show others during the next club meeting. The photo above shows the skull with the jawbones in the place they would normally be.

As Alayna, the president of Wildlife Club, pointed out, the skull was quite small. She suggested it was a fawn. I looked at one of the jaw bones and sure enough it was a fawn. How can you tell quickly? Take a look at the photo above. Deer are just like humans; new teeth form and erupt as they grow through childhood. The photo above, which has one of the molars removed, shows another molar buried in the bone. A thin piece of bone partially covers the molar. Eventually, this bone would shrink back and the molar would erupt through the gum. You had the same exact process happen as your molars formed when you were young.

So just how young is this fawn? Well, the teeth give can help us find that out. I put the above photo together quickly to help explain. So, we know it is young, but is it a yearling (1.5 years+) or a fawn? Well, a yearling has 6 fully erupted teeth. This individual only has 5, so that means it is a fawn. So, how old of a fawn? Well, the first two permanent molars, M4 and M5, have erupted completely. This places the fawn in the 6 month to 14 month range at least. We can close this gap even farther by examining how far along the third molar, M6, is. In this individual, it has not begun to erupt yet, so that closes the range down to 6-11 months. The M6 molar is, however, close to beginning to erupt, so that puts it a little bit ahead of 6 months. As a result, I would age this individual at 9-10 months, +/- 1 month.

Overall, the nature hike was really fun and really productive. I will definitely do a few more this school year hopefully. Thanks for reading! I know this was a wordy post, but there's just so many interesting things to talk about. I could have gone on much longer, but I tried to keep it somewhat sane! Thanks again!