Burning Silo

While working in the garden on the weekend, I turned up this inhabitant - a Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata). As you can see by comparing it to my hand (and I have quite small hands), it’s a small species, about 20 to 40 cm (8 to 16 inches) in length, with a narrow, delicate head. They are generally brown on top, usually with faint darker striping (see bottom photo - click on it for a much larger view). The underside of the snake is usually pink to quite a bright reddish-pink. This one was more pink than red. They have 3 pale markings on the neck just behind the head - one on top and one to each side. Their scales are keeled, meaning that they have a raised line down the center of each scale — examine the large view of the above photo and you should be able to see the keeled shape of the scales.
[EDIT: Hugh from Rock Paper Lizard left a comment below saying:

You can tell by her cloudy eyes that she will soon shed her skin, and after that her belly will be much redder. How do I know she’s a she? I don’t. It just sounds friendlier than “it.”

Thanks for leaving that bit of information, Hugh. I had noticed the cloudy eyes and associated it with molting, but didn’t know if it was a before or after thing.]

Although common in our region, Red-bellied snakes are not often seen unless you happen to turn one up while moving boards or rocks in your garden. The are found in places where their main foods — slugs, snails, earthworms, and insects may be found. They are live-bearing, producing about 8 or so young in late summer. They are entirely harmless snakes and do not bite when handled — or, at least in my experience, I have found them to be very passive. For more information about this species, visit this page on the Univ. of Michigan’s Animal Diversity Web.

Tags: Red-bellied Snake, Storeria occipitomaculata

I’m a little late in reporting this, but late in the evening on August 4th, while out photographing moths, I was struck on the head repeatedly by this large beetle — a Spotted Pelidnota Beetle (Pelidnota punctata). It was a little larger and more robust than the “June Bug” beetles that we see around here at night in early summer. The body was probably about 25mm or so long. It was very active, whizzing in big arcs around the mercury vapor lamp. It was also rather wreckless, colliding with me numerous times before buzzing off to momentarily rest on a leaf before resuming its erratic flight. Also known as the Grapevine Beetle, this member of the Scarab Beetle family (Scarabaeidae), subfamily Rutelinae, feeds on grape and other foliage, while its larvae live in and feed on rotting roots and wood.

Interesting phenological snippet: While doing some catch-up reading of Aydin Örstan’s Snail’s Tales blog the other night, I noticed that he had posted a photo of a similar beetle on August 15th, and had linked to a post about a sighting of another of the same beetles on Alex Wild’s Myrmecos Blog.

Tags: Pelidnota punctata, Spotted Grapevine Beetle

Remember this?

Yes, indeed, you do! International Rock Flipping Day is nigh upon us. This year, it takes place on Sept. 7th. On that day, folks from around the world will be sauntering out into their yards and gardens, or visiting some other site to turn a rock or two. They’ll be crouching down to carefully inspect what lies beneath — because they want to remind themselves that there are other creatures… interesting ones… that share this planet.

So, mark your calendar and get ready to pick up a rock or two. For more information about what to do, how to participate, etc… please visit Dave Bonta’s via negativa to learn more about International Rock Flipping Day.

Tags: International Rock Flipping Day

This year, summer seems to be flowing by in the most disconcerting way. While out on my insect walk yesterday, I kept feeling twinges of impending autumn. Perhaps it was seeing so many late summer insects perched on the sea of goldenrod in the meadows. Maybe it was the dozens of juvenile leopard frogs frantically flinging themselves out of my path as I walked along the grassy trails. Or, it might well have been the slightly cooler, drier air that signals the beginning of the end. Whatever, it won’t be long before we turn the corner into autumn. The next few weeks are usually a good time for insect photography, so I’m hoping to spend quite a bit of time in the fields and woods capturing images.

In the meantime, the vegetable garden has been quietly doing its thing, turning out a steady stream of zucchinis, eggplants and other goodies. The fresh market stores are stocked with blueberries, so I’ve been baking pies and freezing pint-sized bags of berries for winter use. Peaches are next on the agenda. It’s a simple thing, but freezing fruit always seems like such an effective way of preserving a little essence of summer.

Tags: Evening Primrose Moth, Schinia florida