This week we are going to spend a year in the life of the Northern Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata). This snake is distributed throughout southern Canada and the eastern United States with the northern and southern extremities of their range being Nova Scotia and northern Florida. The Northern Red-bellied Snake is fairly small with adults reaching 8-11 inches in length. Northern Red-bellied Snakes are active from May to October with mating occurring in the spring and early summer. Females give birth to 7-8 live young sometime between late July and early September. Northern Red-bellied snakes are typically found in woodlands, meadows, swamp forests, open fields and edge habitats. Their diet consists of slugs, earthworms, insects, and beetle larvae. They usually spend the day hidden under rocks and emerge during the evening, with activity peaking at night. Over the winter, the Northern Red-bellied Snake spends its time in anthills and rodent burrows. They have many natural predators and are also susceptible to mortality by lawnmowers. This individual was spotted on the main road at Murphys Point Provincial Park.
Welcome! Watch this space for upcoming activities.
MINE TOURS AND OTHER PROGRAMS
Yes…there will be Silver Queen Mine Tours this summer!The park is planning to have guided tours on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 10am. Sundays will feature the regular Open House at the mine (10am to noon). The first tour will be Canada Day (July 1).Registration for all guided tours will open Monday, June 27. Space is limited so you must pre-register at the gatehouse or call 613-267-5060. Registration is not required for the open houses.ALSO!Evening Programs will be Saturday nights, starting in July. The time will change based on our daylight hours.Snake Talks will be every day at 2pm outside the visitor centre, starting Canada Day.Exploration stations, prop tables, and Kids programs will be advertised the week of on our program boards.Stay tuned for a great summer!For the latest information on COVID-19 precautions and available amenities at Murphys Point (services, facilities, attractions) during the 2022 season, be sure to check https://www.ontarioparks.com/park/murphyspoint.
-
Recent Posts
Friends are always looking for volunteers