Minnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter
December 200 1
Volume 21 Number 12
News, Notes & Announcements Bumper sticker Contest We need your help designing a new MHS bumper sticker that will help make drivers more aware of turtles on roadways. MHS members will vote for their favorites at the March, 2002 meeting (aka White Snake Sale). Remember to keep things simple (these things are read at high speeds I). Good luck!
Photo Contest! There are three categories: Herps in a Natural Setting Herps with People Miscellaneous styles (Miscellaneous styles may be replaced with another category and two other categories maybe added, like; Digitally Rendered and Kids Category. We'll keep you up dated as new developments occur)
Start Preparing for the Great White Snake Sale in March Look in our closet. Get out the quarters for those killer garage sale sale and prepare for more killer contests. Round up cages, cage supplies, books, magazines and reptile art for the Great White Snake Sale this coming March. It's the Largest fund raiser for the society, which in turns using the money to help fund herp related research and education.
These are the Rules: 1. 4x6, 5x7, 8x10 mounted and matted, not exceeding 11x14. 2. Identified on the back with entrants' name.. address and category. Do not MHS is considering a major update place names on the front to its webpage and we are looking of the prints. for your ideas. What would you like 3. Members may submit up to see on a new MHS site? Photos? to five prints. Caresheets? Natural history information? If you have thoughts, ideas, Bring submissions to the or are willing to contribute content, February General Meeting. send an email to MHS Vice-presiWinners will be selected by the dent Tony Gamble members during the White Snake Sale. We are looking forward to your ideas I
We Need Your Ideas!
Northern Watersnake Field Update 2001 Earlier this year I requested information regarding Northern Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon) sightings for the twin cities metro area (Minneapolis and St. Paul). The following is a brief summary of finds to date. The 2001 field season was productive, if somewhat shortened, due to unusual financial constraints. However, two reports, one from another field worker and a second from an interested person were made to the author and were later verified. One location corresponds to an old record now in the James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History while the other was new, but not novel, as this species is recorded from the surrounding area. Both records were from the south metro on lands bordering the Minnesota River. Adult, juvenile, yearling and young of the year were observed. Two adult, one juvenile, three yearling and two young of the year were noted. Past sightings have also been made in this area of the metro as well. A large adult, a juvenile and one yearling have been seen prior to 2001. Early sightings in 2001 were made after the second high water crest of the Minnesota River, in early May. The other sightings were received in June and early fall. Survey effort was low this year due to the previously mentioned constraints. However, efforts will continue in 2002 to reconfirm the species in prior recorded locations, to investigate new possible areas and perform some assessment of habitat parameters. -RE Blasus