New Speices Added to my Lifelist Queen Snake - Regina septemvittata

Oct. 21 2006
Temp: 55 F
Sunny Few Clouds
Allegheny County , PA
Length was roughly 15″

I decided to take a walk down at one of the local trout streams to see if I could see anything out on probably one of the last day that it would get in the mid 50’s Before Winter set in.

After about an hour or so of walking the edge of the creek I desided it might be to cool of a day to see anything, sence the normal Northern Water Snakes were not out or Garters.

Then I noticed what I thought to be a neonate N. Water Snake, so i quickly grabed it and seen there was something wrong with it (sores). But i was thinking at first it might be Mites so I put it in a box in the car. When I got down the road I noticed…… Humm. This isnt a N. Water. Its a Queen… Opps.. I didnt take a good look at it sence it was dry and muddy so it went unnoticed. After I got it home an nice rub down in Mineral Oil and a Bath I took it back down to the Creek and got some nice photos and set it back down where I picked it up.

Queens are a Speices of concern in PA. I belive I was lucky to see one in the area sence I have looked for a few years. Maybe Next year I will have some more luck in that area with Queens.

******After Looking back at a few photos from Spring in the same area this queen was found. I stummbled apon a photo I took of another Queen I took a photo of with out even noticing it was a Queen.. Guess I just didnt realize they were in the area so shruged it off as anouther Nerodia.