Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis)
I was a bit startled to look from my second story porch in the mountains and find this rather large beauty looking back. I am afraid to say he might have been hoping to make a meal of one of my many hummingbirds that frequently alights on the limbs of this beech tree. He was up about 15 feet above the ground and I decided to let nature take its course and hope for the best.
Found this info online:
"The eastern ratsnake varies in color and pattern. Most are striped, but one variant is sometimes referred to as “black ratsnake” because of its mainly black coloration. These snakes are common throughout the eastern US, although the black color variant does not occur in Florida. This snake can be quite large (it may exceed six feet in length) and has slightly keeled scales (raised ridge along the middle of each scale). Its back is almost entirely black (small flecks of whitish color may show through the black), whereas its chin and belly have a lot of white markings. They are excellent climbers and are found in a great variety of habitats, ranging from pine forests to agricultural fields. They feed primarily on rodents, birds, and birds' eggs."
Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis)
I was a bit startled to look from my second story porch in the mountains and find this rather large beauty looking back. I am afraid to say he might have been hoping to make a meal of one of my many hummingbirds that frequently alights on the limbs of this beech tree. He was up about 15 feet above the ground and I decided to let nature take its course and hope for the best.
Found this info online:
"The eastern ratsnake varies in color and pattern. Most are striped, but one variant is sometimes referred to as “black ratsnake” because of its mainly black coloration. These snakes are common throughout the eastern US, although the black color variant does not occur in Florida. This snake can be quite large (it may exceed six feet in length) and has slightly keeled scales (raised ridge along the middle of each scale). Its back is almost entirely black (small flecks of whitish color may show through the black), whereas its chin and belly have a lot of white markings. They are excellent climbers and are found in a great variety of habitats, ranging from pine forests to agricultural fields. They feed primarily on rodents, birds, and birds' eggs."