Eastern Racer
Template:Infobox The Eastern Racer (Coluber constrictor) is a dark-colored, non-venomous snake of Connecticut that generally grows from 33 to 65 inches in length.[1] Although there are nearly a dozen subspecies of C. constrictor, only one can be found in Connecticut: Coluber constrictor constrictor, commonly known as the Eastern Racer[1], Northern Black Racer[2] or simply Black Racer.
Known Habitat Locations
I have discovered C. constrictor in two locations in Connecticut, although I was only able to photo-document specimens in one of those locations.
West Rock Ridge State Park (Hamden)
On May 23, 2012, along a short stretch of rocky, west-facing ledges in the central portion of West Rock Ridge State Park in Hamden, I discovered three (3) C. constrictor basking within 50 feet of eachother. The habitat in the immediate area is ideal for these snakes, offering warm, sunny ledges intermixed with shady upland forest that offers plenty of small prey creatures.
I was able to photo-document one of the specimens.
I also discovered one Heterodon platirhinos (Eastern Hognose Snake) among these C. constrictor on the same day, indicating that the area may be in very close proximity to a hibernaculum.
Powerline Cut (Middletown)
On May 17, 2012, I discovered C. constrictor during an exploration of over one mile of terrain along a powerline cut in Middletown, beginning at Bartholomew Road and terminating at Route 9. I was unequipped for photography at the time and was therefore unable to photo-document the specimen.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dickson, Jenny, and Julie Victoria. Connecticut. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Snakes of Connecticut: A Guide to Snake Identification. 2006. Web. <http://www.ct.gov/dep/lib/dep/wildlife/pdf_files/nongame/snkwebview.pdf>.
- ↑ Virginia. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Northern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor). 2012. Web.