🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <34203FAB.392A@mc.duke.edu>,
Seth Fehrs  <fehrs002@mc.duke.edu> wrote:
>Tom Wilson wrote:
>
>> >Water mocs & rattlers are not in the triangle area.  I believe
>> >the southern part of NC is the northern limit for water mocs.
>> >I know the eastern diamondback is still in the southern
>> >Appalachians as a friend has seen them.  If I remember correctly
>> >they still cling to coastal marsh areas too.
>> 
>> Errr, then why have I heard a rattler in the weeds out by Hemlock
>> Bluff?  I'm from Eastern NC--believe me when I say I know what it
>> sounds like.
>
>Range:  Coastal lowlands from se. N. Carolina to extr. E. Louisiana; 
>all of Florida, including the Keys.

Mr. Fehrs:

I grew up in southeastern NC, where rattlers were quite plentiful.
I KNOW what they sound like, I KNOW what I heard.  Quoting 
territorial ranges is well and good, but animals are notorious 
for ignoring discrete boundaries noted by humans, and, besides,
we're still on the the edge of the Diamondbacks' (and possibly
the Timber rattler's) range.  It's also not unusual to find ecotones 
very unlike surrounding terrain in the triangle (what ones that haven't 
been developed away, that is).

>
>I was referring to the triangle, sorry for the confusion.

no problem...
 
>> >Too far north.
>> 
>> Not true...I know what they look like and I've seen 'em in
>> Southeastern NC--they're not burrowing all the time.
>
>Again, the triangle.
>
>My main point was that I thought the only posionous snake
>I needed to worry about is the copperhead, which I can 
>identify from growing up in NY.  Now I suppose I should be 
>wary of water mocs as well, as I often take my dogs for walks 
>in the woods, and we have both a stream and a pond on our
>land.

You betcha...I *think* I saw I a small moc in Cary near a creek after
a big rain about a year ago.  I say I think because the light 
and background weren't very good, and I figured I was close enough
already.

>Copperhead bites are no trivial matter, but those other three
>snakes are much more of a problem.

For sure...I've known some people to not get treatment for mild 
(a nick) copperhead or pigmy rattler bites, but, anything else
you get hit by in this state rates medical attention.

-- 
  Tom Wilson          | If you read this sentence, it won't tell you anything.
  SAS Institute Inc.  | 
  sasctw@unx.sas.com  |  All opinions are mine.  I don't speak for SAS.