Posted on 08/16/2005 8:56:09 AM PDT by T-Bird45
It happens every year: large numbers of copperheads gather and move in unison to dens for hibernation. But it happens in October, not July or August. Now the common event has become an uncommon and inexplicable one.
"I know for a fact that all these snakes didn't just wake up one day and do this," said Chuck Miller, whose Marion County yard has been overrun with the pitvipers. "Something's making them do it. They know something we don't know. There's got to be something more to this."
Nearly 100 of the snakes are using a cedar tree as a sort of meeting place, and neither Miller, an outdoorsman and former snake owner, nor scientists who have traveled to the rural north central Arkansas site to study the phenomenon, know why.
Stanley Trauth, a zoology professor at Arkansas State University, said the snakes normally gather to move to hibernation sites in the fall. Trauth has traveled to Miller's property to conduct research on the snakes' behavior.
"With this hot weather we didn't anticipate such a grand movement of so many snakes. In the fall they aggregate in fairly large numbers, so it's quite an unusual event," Trauth said in a telephone interview Monday.
Miller agrees. "If it were October, no one would know about it. It wouldn't be that strange," he said.
When the snakes first started showing up three weeks ago, Miller said he was a little concerned that no one would believe how many were visiting the cedar tree, so he began collecting the reptiles. He saw 20 the first night, he said.
One of his friends contacted Trauth and the research began.
Trauth and one of his graduate students traveled to Miller's property and embedded a radio transmitter in one of the snakes for tracking purposes. Other snakes also had tags clipped to their scales.
Miller said seven of nine tagged snakes were taken a quarter-mile away from the tree and released, but have since returned to the tree and been recaptured.
Trauth said the copperheads gather at the tree to leave their scent. By rubbing the tree, other copperheads know that it is a marker on the way to a den site, he said.
But Trauth is only guessing that the snakes are preparing to move to a den for hibernation.
"All we can do is speculate as to what this is right now. This might be a precursor to an actual event. But having the numbers there that he's had, it just makes you wonder what's going on," Trauth said.
A gathering of copperheads like the one in Miller's yard has not been documented before, Trauth said. Though he can't yet explain why it's happening, he can say for sure it's not for mating or feeding.
All the snakes that have been gathering at the base of the tree are adult males. Copperheads also like to feed on cicadas, but the insects haven't appeared in the area in large numbers this year.
The best guess, Trauth said, is the snakes are moving to hibernate as usual - they're just doing it earlier than normal.
All Miller knows is, it's weird.
"It's like seeing a bigfoot or something walk across the yard; if you don't keep them, no one will believe you," he said.
Funny, I thought they were gathering in Crawford, Texas, this year.
All I know for sure is that if I had a yard/tree that attracted those lovely creatures I would--SELL THE HOUSE!!!
My leaves are already starting to fall. Should I put on my tin foil hat?
Cold Winter coming?
That is what the 'scent' referenced in the article smells like.
"Copperheads" was the nickname given to anti-war Democrats during the Civil War. Throwing in a timely reference.
Cold winter - my first thought as well.
He was, but they were afraid to touch him or tag him: too odorous and venomous.
Thought this might be an article about Civil War times in Ohio.
Its been extremely hot in Missouri this summer and the same in Arkansas. The oaks have dropped most of their acorns early around our place and we are losing leaves on some of our trees. Could be that the heat is having the same impact on the snakes.
No I think this means that there will be an earlier than usual winter. Maybe that volcano in Yellowstone is going to blow soon? Or maybe a nuclear winter is in the near future?
Interesting you mention the copperhead and anti-war connection from the Civil War as there was an article on that subject that came up when I searched before posting. If you haven't already seen it, you might find it interesting.
Isn't there a 'Whacking Day' in those parts?
Is it anywhere near Springfield?
That was my first thought - dims in Ark.
FYI.
Interesting. I told someone just this last week that fall was already here. My leg hurts when the seasons change. Happens every spring and fall.
I was just thinking, how would I get rid of the crowds in Crawford. If anti-war types were protesting near my home, my husband would round up sacks of these things and deposit them near the freaks. (Yes, he's weird like that ;-)
"Paging Mr. Jim Dandy...Mr. Jim Dandy to the Rescue, black oak curtesy phone, please."
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