05 June 2007

Nature Fake Snake



This poor young Texas Rate Snake (Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri) may look sinuous and perfectly happy basking on this limestone rock, but don't be fooled. It's a nature fake. I was very, very saddened to find this youngster freshly dead in our driveway--killed by the Great Destroyer of All Things Living: the car. I was devastated, but I placed it on this rock in our front yard as an offering to whatever critter might need it (hopefully not a rat, although they would certainly feel happy with themselves for having the tables turned wouldn't they?). It disappeared within days.

Our yard is virtually filled with reptiles compared with our place in Wisconsin. Fence lizards, spiny lizards, anolis lizards, rat snakes, garter snakes...who knows what scaled creature may turn up in the weeds and grasses and flowers.

No comments: