The Flickr Northernpinesnake Image Generatr

This beautiful animal is threatened - it was a real thrill to see it today.

Pinesnake (Pituophis melanoleucus) from Eastern Georgia. Although typically I find pinesnakes crossing or just off the road I came across this individual in a defensive posture in the road. Driving down the road I noticed a typical Honda CRV rural mailman swerve in the road, after noticing him swerve I saw a new object appear on that stretch of road which I instantly assumed was a writhing snake he/she had just hit. Upon approach I saw this unscathed juvenile or young adult Pinesnake ready to strike at my car.

Pinesnake (Pituophis melanoleucus) from Eastern Georgia. Although typically I find pinesnakes crossing or just off the road I came across this individual in a defensive posture in the road. Driving down the road I noticed a typical Honda CRV rural mailman swerve in the road, after noticing him swerve I saw a new object appear on that stretch of road which I instantly assumed was a writhing snake he/she had just hit. Upon approach I saw this unscathed juvenile or young adult Pinesnake ready to strike at my car.

Pituophis melanoleucus from North Carolina. This is a species mostly known from the coastal southeastern US and the pine barrens of New Jersey, however poorly-studied populations persist around the southern Appalachian Mountains. These snakes can vocalize loudly, the audible hiss enabled by a small septum situated outside of the glottis of the snake. These vocalizations are specifically defensive, although these snakes are most often placid when encountered. When captured, they will sometimes become defensive, as photographed here, in which case they will hiss and sometimes strike. These snakes are not venomous, and any attempts to bite are typically followed by an attempt to flee. Most often, these snakes have more of a black-and-white appearance, however a small portion of the population I help monitor have a yellow tint, as seen here. These snakes can grow very large, but are generally rare and declining. They are best known from open longleaf savannas, where they spend most of their time underground in burned-out or decayed stump holes or burrows from small mammals upon which they also feed. Unfortunately, they suffer from declining habitat as much has been converted to agriculture, silviculture, or is otherwise fire-suppressed. Despite these issues being common and widespread pressures on declining flora and fauna native to the coastal southeast, available habitat continues to decline and species become more and more dependent upon appropriate management of public and private lands.

with Frank at Garden Valley, Idaho Library, May 11, 2019. "Piney" is a Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus). Photo by Kerri.

with Liam and Frank at Garden Valley, Idaho Library May 11, 2019. "Piney" is a Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus Melanoleucus). Photo by Kerri.

with Frank at Boise Schools Dennis Tech Center zoology classes, February 14, 2019. "Piney" is a Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus). Photo by Liam.

because there aren't too many pictures of her. She's a Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus). She was a rescue in February, 2003 Northern pine snakes are native to the east central United States. Photo by Frank.

Pituophis melanoleucus from NC. These animals are supposed to all be northern pine snakes (P. m. melanoleucus), but I have seen a couple, like the one pictured, that seem to show some similarity to intergrades with Florida pine snakes (P. m. mugitus) I have seen in southern SC...but never anything close to the near-patternless southern animals. This individual was found moving across a fresh prescribed burn, critical to maintaining the open canopy and grassy understory so highly preferred by this species. Finding such a light-colored animal on fresh black was quite an experience.

"Piney" is a Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus). Photo by Frank.

"Piney" is a Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus). To see her drinking, see previous post. Photo by Frank.

.with Scott and Frank at Boise State University Reptile and Amphibian Workshop June 16, 2018. "Piney" is a Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus). Photo by Steve M.

checking out the carpet at Garden Valley, Idaho library May 12, 2018. She's a Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus). Photo by Frank.

.with Frank at Garden Valley, Idaho library May 12, 2018. "Piney" is a Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus). Photo by Liam.

in shadows. She's a Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus). Photo by Frank.

with Scott at Boise State University Reptile and Amphibian Workshop October 28, 2017. She's a Northern pine snake (Pituophis elanoleucus melanoleucus). Photo by Frank. .

getting some exercise at Boise State University Reptile and Amphibian Workshop September 16, 2017. She's a Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus). Photo by Frank.

Burlington Co., NJ

Burlington Co., NJ

Burlington Co., NJ