I met this snake on a cool October day, he was crossing a local road and was poking along. I was able to get the car stopped and me and my gear into position without spooking this normally skittish snake.

Masticophis flagellum or Coachwhip is normally a snake that will zoom off into cover if approached or threatened. They are one of the fastest snakes in the southern U.S. So, I count myself lucky to have been able to spend as much time with this fellow as I did.

I followed this snake while he navigated down a concrete support for an under the road culvert. He was being very methodical about investigating any opportunity of finding prey. Coachwhips get their names from the way their scales appear like the braided leather pattern seen on whips or crops used to motivate horses. They are long snakes and move so fast that people are many times startled by them.

Here, you can see narrow head and the circular, large pupils typical of this kind of Colubrid snake. Also take note of the slender neck behind the head. This is another character that helps identify these snakes. Coachwhips are known to travel with their heads held up off the ground, allowing them better opportunities to locate prey.

In the last image, you can see the forked tongue that Coachwhips use to pick up scent particle in their environment which helps them find prey. Coachwhips eat insects, lizards, snakes, rodents, birds, and birds eggs. They will climb trees and shrubs in pursuit of a meal. These snakes do not kill their prey with venom or by constriction, instead, they bite hard and pin the prey with loops of their body before swallowing them whole.

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The Rough Green Snake, Opheoedrys aestivus is a nonpoisonous Colubrid snake that lives in the trees most of the time. This beautiful snake just happened to be on the ground when I was out taking pictures on a May morning.

The Rough Green Snake likes to live in forests near water and they will sometimes be seen in the water. They eat crickets, spiders, grasshoppers, and caterpillars. They are lime green above and beige to yellow below and can become up to 32 inches long. Some folks call these snakes vine snakes. When these snakes die, their green color changes to blue.

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Natrix rhombifera rhombifera, the Diamond Back Water Snake is found throughout most of Texas. They prefer habitats close to permanent water. The genus Natrix contains many species of water snakes and these belong to the Colubridae family which is one of the largest families of snakes worldwide. Colubrids in the U. S. are the nonpoisonous snakes that act to control the population numbers of various small animals.

Natrix rhombifera rhombifera prey on fish, frogs, salamanders, and crayfish. When cornered, or threatened, these snakes will attack and bite. This kind of behavior and their resemblance to the venomous Cottonmouth or Water Moccasin gets them killed despite the benefits they provide to the ecosystems where they live.

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