New Ordinoides Photos

[ConcinusMan]

I've never heard anything about northern pacific rattlers being present on the big Island. Seems like the wrong climate. However, they are in B.C. in a much drier climate. Just like eastern WA, except north of the U.S. border with WA State. Within their range in B.C. are the cities of Kamloops and Kelowna. I highly doubt they are on Vancouver Island. Northern pacific rattlers are generally a reclusive, non-aggressive snake. Injurous bites, or bites that actually inject venom, are rare. If and when they do bite, it's usually a "dry" bite, followed by a hasty retreat. They really are no threat to people who refrain from molesting or harassing them.

I did find this info about T. sirtalis' in B.C.

"Three subspecies of the Common Garter Snake are found in British Columbia. The Puget Sound Garter Snake (T. s. pickeringi) is found on Vancouver Island and in the lower mainland. The Valley Garter Snake (T. s. fitchi) is found across most of southern B.C. and along the northern coast almost to the Yukon. Finally, the Red-sided Garter Snake (T. s. parietalis) occurs in eastern B.C. towards the prairie provinces."

I think that the only T. sirtalis you're going to find on the Island is T. s. pickeringii. Maybe there's a debate because many puget sound garters (pickeringii) look very much like T. s. fitchi or even T. s. concinnus.

[Lisa4john]

I can see that debate. They look very similar sometimes.

[ConcinusMan]

I can see that debate. They look very similar sometimes.

Again, I'll say that any T. sirtalis found on the island is T. s. pickeringii. I have seen conflicting subspecies maps. I think this mostly due to mistaken I.D.

Like I said, if you didn't know any better you would swear that some pickeringii are fitchii, concinnus, or intergrades. Snakes like that are found just about anywhere that pickeringii occur. But rest assured, they are just natural variations of pickeringii.

[KephrenJorgensen]

It does make sense that the pickeringii have such a wide variety of appearances in the wild. All the sirtalis Ive seen on the island are black with three yellow stripes, and the orange spots like a concinnus would have. I barely see any blue ones in the wild, and the ones that dont have the orange are even more uncommon. I thought they were ribbon snakes for the longest time. I highly doubt the presence of a rattlesnake population, though I do see the possibility. Some areas hold high potential to support the species, particularly the Nanaimo Lakes area, as well as Lake Cowichan

[ConcinusMan]

Blue pickeringii are only found in s small part of their range at the south end of Puget Sound. Olympia/Lacey/Dupont/Fort Lewis/Lakewood. Same goes for the blue anery morph concinnus'. Limited range. Ones like you describe can be found almost anywhere pickeringii occur.