The younger snakes may consume crickets and other insects, whereas adults feed primarily on rodents, songbirds and other snakes. Campbell and Perrin also noted that racers were among the first snakes to disappear from suburban areas. Therefore, blue racers are more confined to areas with minimal anthropogenic activity. In contrast to blue racers, eastern fox snakes were often found under front porches, in barns/garages, and in the foundations of houses whereas, most (but not all) blue racers were observed in more "natural" settings. (although studies were not conducted concurrently). Behavior/Adaptability īlue racers seem to be relatively intolerant of high levels of human activity and for most of the active season, they remain in areas of low human density.Įvidence to suggest this comes largely from radio telemetry data from both blue racers and eastern fox snakes that inhabited the same general areas on Pelee Island flaviventris (the eastern yellow-bellied racer), most recent authorities agree that the subspecies C.c. Although there has been some controversy regarding the designation of C.c. The largest documented specimen captured on Pelee Island was 138 cm SVL. The blue racer is one of Ontario's largest snakes, reaching 90 cm to 152 cm snout-to-vent length (SVL). Unlike adults, hatchlings and yearlings (first full active season) have dorsal blotches that fade completely by the third year however, juvenile patterning is still visible on the venter until late in the snake's third season. They also have characteristic black masks, relatively large eyes, and often have brownish-orange rostral scales (snouts). On Pelee Island in Ontario, the blue racer is restricted to the eastern two-thirds of the island.īlue racers often have creamy white ventral scales, dull grey to brilliant blue lateral scales, and pale brown to dark grey dorsum. The last reliable record of the blue racer on mainland Canada was in Ontario in 1983. In the United States: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa are now the only states with extant populations of blue racer. A mosaic of these habitats is likely required to fulfill the ecological needs of C. The blue racer is an active forager and despite their scientific name, it isn't really a constrictor.Coluber constrictor foxii, commonly known as the blue racer, is a subspecies of Coluber constrictor, a species of nonvenomous, colubrid snake commonly referred to as the eastern racer.īlue racers prefer open and semi-open habitats, savanna, old field shoreline, and edge habitats. The juvenile blue racers eat crickets and other insects such as spiders or worms, adult snakes feed mainly on small rodents, frogs, birds and other smaller snakes such as the ringneck snake. Some of the large birds of prey like the red-tailed hawk, northern harrier, and great horned owl are amongst its predators but they are also preyed on by coyotes, foxes, raccoons, dogs and feral house cats or wild cats. They have smooth scales, large eyes, and a brownish orange snout. Unlike adult blue racers, hatchlings and juvenile snakes display dorsal blotches that will eventually fade away by their 3rd year. The underbelly color is a creamy white, the backside varies from a brilliant blue (hence their common name) to a dull gray and they have light brown to gray dorsum. ![]() Their length ranges between 35 to 60 inches (90 to 152 cm) and it's one of the largest snakes found in Ontario. We usually catch only a glimpse of them as they disappear quickly through the vegetation. When threatened, they vibrate their tails to make a buzzing sound that works as a warning and for that reason are often mistaken for rattlesnakes. Even though they are non-venomous, they are still very capable of inflicting a painful bite if cornered. When hunting they hold up their heads up and move very fast through brushes using their keen eyesight. The blue racer will try to escape into the bush and may even climb into low bushes or small trees if threatened. ![]() ![]() They are active during daytime and prefer to spend most of their time on the ground, but are known to forage both on ground and trees. The blue racers are known to hibernate in large groups during the cold winter months. ![]() This speed helps them catch prey or avoid being preyed upon. The species lifespan in the wild ranges from 15 to 20 years. As their common name suggests, the blue racer is a very fast snake that can move at speeds of almost 7 Km or 4,3 mph, even so far from the lightning speed of the highly venomous black mamba.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |