Eggs hatch in late summer or early fall.Ĭonservation Status: Racers are common in our region andĪre not protected throughout most of it. Racers mate in the spring, and females lay up to 36 eggs in early summer. Although primarily terrestrial, they climb well and are occasionally observed sleeping in vegetation at night. If cornered, however, they do not hesitate to bite. Racers are faster than most other snakes, very agile, and generally flee when approached, often climbing into small trees or shrubs. When captured, prey are not constricted and are consumed alive. In turn, they are preyed upon by a variety of predatory birds, mammals and snakes such as kingsnakes and larger racers. They eat a wide variety of prey including insects, lizards, snakes, birds, rodents, and amphibians. Racers hunt by sight and are often observed actively foraging during the day. At night and during cool weather they take refuge in burrows or under cover such as boards or tin. Habits: Black racers are only active during the daytime and are most active in warm weather. They are also often found in moderately disturbed or agricultural habitats. However, they are most abundant in edge habitats such as forest edges, old fields, and wetland edges. Racers are habitat generalists and can be found in nearly any habitat in the Southeast. Racers are found in all areas of South Carolina and Georgia and among the most common snakes in nearly all habitats. Other subspecies such as yellow-bellied racers are found in the Central U.S. Range and Habitat: Black racers are found throughout the eastern U.S., from southern Maine to the Florida Keys.
The juvenile pattern of young racers fades to black when the snakes are about 12 in long. Additionally, young racers are more slender and have larger eyes than juveniles of most other snakes in our region.
These blotches are more rounded (less square) than those of young rat snakes and watersnakes.
Black racer snake series#
Young racers do not resemble adults and are generally tan or grayish with a series of brown or reddish blotches running down the center of the back. While rat snakes, king snakes, and hognose snakes generally freeze when approached, racers usually flee rapidly or sometimes stand their ground and attempt to strike. When observed from a distance, behavior is often the best way to differentiate a racer from other species. Additionally, racers lack the upturned nose of hognose snakes and keeled scales of hognose and rat snakes. However, black racers are generally more slender and uniformly black than those species.
Adult racers can be mistaken for any of the other large black snakes present in our region including black rat snakes (which are generally restricted to the Piedmont and Mountains in our region), black-phase eastern hognose snakes, eastern or black kingsnakes, or dark coachwhips. The belly is generally uniformly dark gray or black. They have smooth scales, large eyes, and often have some white coloration under their chin. Willson unless otherwise notedĭescription: As their name implies, black racers are relatively large - to 60 in (152 cm) - fairly slender, solid black snakes.
0 kommentar(er)
