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The
other day, I was called to the front door of the Tomato Tower to look at
something on the porch. It was a beautiful black kingsnake (Lampropeltis
getula nigra) stretched out across the top step. He was about
30" long (76 cm), healthy and happy.
When
I reached to pick him up he welcomed my warm hands by winding in and
out, all through and around my fingers and arms. He was truly an amazing
creature!
There
are three species of Lampropeltis getula kingsnakes indigenous to
Alabama. The eastern kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula getula) and
the speckled kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula holbrooki) are the
two others. In the central part of our state the three have actually
been known to cross and inter-breed, making some interesting patterns on
their skin.
Snakes
are extremely beneficial and necessary to our sustainability and
eco-existence. In the food chain, snakes consume destructive rodents.
Kingsnakes will actually eat other snakes, including, but not limited
to, the poisonous varieties. With benefits like that who’d want to
remove these fine creatures from their garden? |
