MasSalvaje
04-09-2010, 05:42 PM
I have to apologize for not having a camera with me for the best herp related event I have ever witnessed.
I have been into keeping herps, especially Garters, as far back as I can remember but it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I started to focus my time and energy on Field Herping and not exclusively on captive care. That same year I was able to find a rather large den site of T. s. vagrans here in Utah. I have been able to observe the den site both in the Spring when the snakes begin to emerge and in the Fall when they all head back and hang out on the surface before they head down for good. I have seen many very attractive specimens (Shannon has a very yellow male that was found in this same general area, you can look up a past thread of hers if you care to see an example of what I am referring to.), and been able to witness some very cool behavior but nothing compares to the experience I was able to have this spring.
Some of you have this experience every year it seems like, but for the first time I was able to witness a breeding ball of vagrans. It was incredible! I was at the top of the small hill observing some pretty entertaining males exhibiting some very interesting behaviors. As I was so doing, something at the bottom of the hill caught my attention. I saw tails thrashing in a circular motion that I casually watched. All of the sudden it hit me what was going on! I quickly made my way to the area of commotion carefully avoiding the males that were out basking along the entire face of the hill. I did not want to disturb the ball so at first I kept my distance but slowly crept forward until at last I was able to see the centrally located female and mass of males that engulfed her. I paralyzed with amazement at what I was witnessing, not able to move I sat and watched the group for over an hour. I was able to count the lone female and at least 23 males make their way in, I was also able to see a the female lock up on two separate instances but I could not tell if it was the same male both times or two different individuals.
Like I first stated, I apologize for not having a camera with me so I could share some pics or video with you but I hope you still enjoyed the story.
I will be returning to the spot coming up on Sun so stay tuned!
-Thomas
I have been into keeping herps, especially Garters, as far back as I can remember but it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I started to focus my time and energy on Field Herping and not exclusively on captive care. That same year I was able to find a rather large den site of T. s. vagrans here in Utah. I have been able to observe the den site both in the Spring when the snakes begin to emerge and in the Fall when they all head back and hang out on the surface before they head down for good. I have seen many very attractive specimens (Shannon has a very yellow male that was found in this same general area, you can look up a past thread of hers if you care to see an example of what I am referring to.), and been able to witness some very cool behavior but nothing compares to the experience I was able to have this spring.
Some of you have this experience every year it seems like, but for the first time I was able to witness a breeding ball of vagrans. It was incredible! I was at the top of the small hill observing some pretty entertaining males exhibiting some very interesting behaviors. As I was so doing, something at the bottom of the hill caught my attention. I saw tails thrashing in a circular motion that I casually watched. All of the sudden it hit me what was going on! I quickly made my way to the area of commotion carefully avoiding the males that were out basking along the entire face of the hill. I did not want to disturb the ball so at first I kept my distance but slowly crept forward until at last I was able to see the centrally located female and mass of males that engulfed her. I paralyzed with amazement at what I was witnessing, not able to move I sat and watched the group for over an hour. I was able to count the lone female and at least 23 males make their way in, I was also able to see a the female lock up on two separate instances but I could not tell if it was the same male both times or two different individuals.
Like I first stated, I apologize for not having a camera with me so I could share some pics or video with you but I hope you still enjoyed the story.
I will be returning to the spot coming up on Sun so stay tuned!
-Thomas