A North American racer, Coluber constrictor, juvenile, from Van Buren County, Iowa.Ĭourtship and mating occur in spring soon after emergence. I have observed this behavior on both hot and cool days alike. However, I have seen some specimens curl up in a ball and hide their head in their coils. Generally, if they are picked up, they will musk, defecate, and bite. The tail movement is much slower when compared to the faster tail vibrations of Iowa’s constricting and venomous snakes. When cornered, however, they may raise their head, strike, and thrash their tails. Although they can move at speeds up to 5.6 kmph, humans can run much faster than racers can move (Mosauer 1932). This may produce the illusion that they are “chasing” someone. This is a myth, but I have had them slither toward me, only to shoot down a familiar burrow just past me. Some people contend that racers will chase them. When threatened, this species can flee with incredible speed and they appear to have good home range orientation as they will slither, often toward an intruder, into a preferred hiding spot. They spend the winter below the frost line, often with other species of snakes such as garter snakes, milk snakes, bullsnakes, timber rattlesnakes, western fox snakes, and other racers, particularly in bluff prairie habitats. On cool rainy days, racers may take shelter under rocks, logs, boards, or in rocky crevices. This thermoregulatory habit enhances their ability to chase down and capture fast moving prey. These snakes are diurnal even in hot weather. Active hunters, they move quietly through grass and brush in search of food. Racers are the quickest and most visually oriented snakes in Iowa. They will benefit from preservation of grassland and oak savanna habitats as well as preservation or management for timber rattlesnakes and bullsnakes, species with which they often share habitat. Racers are common throughout nearly all of Iowa, but the open habitats they prefer are quickly disappearing. They also like old fields, grasslands, ditches, and railroad grades adjacent to these habitats. Open prairie, sand prairie, woodland edge, and bluff prairies are preferred. Racers are active from late April to October. Range map for the North American Racer in IowaĪ North American racer, Coluber constrictor, from Des Moines County, Iowa. The racer is found nearly statewide in Iowa, though it appears to be absent from parts of north central Iowa. A North American racer, Coluber constrictor, from Woodbury County, Iowa. Most other small spotted snakes in Iowa have banded tails to the tip. Young racers can be differentiated from all other small spotted snakes found in Iowa by their smooth scales, divided anal plate, and an unmarked brown tail. Plainbelly (copperbelly) water snakes have keeled scales and orange red belly and lip scales. Western rat snakes have weakly keeled scales, a divided anal plate, and usually have traces of a pattern. The two subspecies are similar to one another and individuals resembling either subspecies may be found anywhere throughout their Iowa range.Ī North American racer, Coluber constrictor, from Louisa County, Iowa. The blue racer was not recognized recently for a brief period of time and is still not recognized by some taxonomists. The eastern yellow-bellied racer, Coluber constrictor flaviventris and the blue racer, Coluber constrictor foxii are the two subspecies found in Iowa. A North American racer, Coluber constrictor, from Lee County, Iowa. The belly is white with small brown or reddish spots and the tail is uniformly brown and unmarked. The young are much different from adults and have a white or gray ground color with black, brown, or reddish blotches. Racers have smooth scales and divided anal plates. Some specimens from Lee County are velvety black with light bellies. The throat and neck are bright yellow and the chin and upper labials may be yellow or white. The belly is dirty white, porcelain, or yellow with no markings. Adults are uniform gray, blue, bluish black, greenish, or light brown, with no trace of head or dorsal markings. Max 70 inches (177.8 cm Conant and Collins 1998). The North American racer is a large Iowa species measuring between 23-50 inches (58-127 cm) in length. It is illegal to kill or collect this species by law in Iowa. PROTECTED and Species of Greatest Conservation Need. North American Racer ( Coluber constrictor)īy Jeff LeClere A North American racer, Coluber constrictor, from Louisa County, Iowa.
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