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Blotched Water Snake Adult, Temple, Texas (Nerodia erythrogaster transversa) Non-poisonous (but quick tempered when threatened; will bite if restrained), Aggressive if cornered but flees if escape is possible, Beneficial Photos courtesy of Molly C; text by Jerry Cates The black-edged dark spinal blotches stretch from head to tail, with vertical patches laterally, positioned between each blotch, extending down to the belly. The spinal blotches are, in general, regularly shaped, as are the vertical, lateral patches. The adult is usually 30-48 inches long. It is found throughout the central, northern, and eastern portions of Texas, but only rarely found in our southwestern, western or northwestern regions.
Notice the curious-looking insects at the lower right corner of the above photograph. In an enlargement, they are obviously ants, and their anatomical features reveal that they are Acrobat ants, in the genus Crematogaster. Why they are congregating in this location is a mystery; their diet consists primarily of sweet liquids, including the honeydew produced by aphids.
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