Ep. 283 : Hibernacula and Brown Snakes

<p>The other day, while out with my students, we came across four basking snakes on the side of a gravel access road cutting through an Eastern White Cedar (<em>Thuja occidentalis</em>) forest. Two Eastern Garters (<em>Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis</em>), a single Red-bellied (<em>Storeria occipitomaculata</em>), and a Brown Snake (<em>Storeria dekayi</em>)<em>. </em>Three of the four stuck around and we watched, told a story, and asked questions about the snakes. Some of the questions I could help the students find the answers, but some I was at a loss. </p><p>Do multiple species of snakes share a hibernaculum? What is a hibernaculum really? Do all snakes use them? What characteristics are the snakes looking for in a hibernaculum? These and a couple other questions really sat with me for the day. When it came time for the radio show, while I had a lot of interesting sightings this first warm week of Spring, the hibernacula question still held my heart. So I obviously had to look it up and learn more.</p><p><strong>To learn more : </strong><br><em>The Snakes of Ontario : Natural History, Distribution, and Status</em> by Jeffrey C. Rowell. Self published, 2012.<br><em>Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region </em>by James H. Harding &amp; David A. Mifsud. University of Michigan Press, 2017.</p><p></p>