Favoritos de gregpauly

Eating Western fence lizard. Dropped lizard when tried to get closer picture of snake head. Didn’t even realize had lizard til dropped it. Lizard was still breathing, came by a bit latter and lizard gone as well as snake. Temp 61

Not sure on the snake ID. Took this photo from my car and the snake moved it’s head behind the rabbit in a protective way, and though I was not in danger I didn’t want to disturb nature from taking course.

In the grasp of, then wriggling free from, the jaws of a southern alligator lizard. Then free, with bite marks on back.
(See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/112078323 for the alligator lizard.)

The consensus among people I've talked to so far is that this is most likely a hybrid or the offspring of a hybrid between Masticophis flagellum ruddocki and Masticophis lateralis lateralis. That being said, I'm interested to see if anyone thinks otherwise. Anyone know of other Masticophis hybrid records besides taeniatus x lateralis?

@meandthealiens and I found this snake in treeless desert habitat (more suitable for M. f. ruddocki).

Prey item of RTHA
Associate with observations
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107966623
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107966624
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107966625
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107966626
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107966627
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/107966628

Was found on the front porch behind my pet cat. My cat had eaten half of the lizard’s body. Despite this, the lizard was still alive, but barely. Released it, but have little hope of it still being alive.

The power went off at our house. My husband went out to check the circuit breakers and came in and told me there was a black widow. I snapped some pics but saw the egg sac that said brown widow. I decided to check back today. That spider looked so black. More egg cases (no spider). But I noticed a treasure trove of victims below the web. Tropical house cricket, Woodlouse hunter, Masked Chafer, and others? There is a thick web that goes out through the bottom of the box where the power comes in. I cleared the egg sacs. Sorry spider not a good place. I will check back again tomorrow because I didn't see her.

Found on the way to Eagle Rock in Topanga forest, starting from Trippet Ranch (youtube videos below). The two male rattle snakes combatting! Some said there was a female on close by. The two snakes are very fat! Didn’t rattle while combatting. Observed by Trang Nguyen, Andrew Griffith, Kevin Robinson, Jonathan Marcotte, Emily Zakem and Xuelian Chen
YouTube for videos: https://youtu.be/l9btIG1Gnos

Observation and photos sent to me by a neighbor, Y. Jin.

I questioned further and received the additional photos and following explanation. What's neat, too, is that the Elgaria has its tail in the first photos, but then at some point, dropped the tail, and the snake also ate the drop tail once it was done with the Elgaria.

"And YES the snake won, but it took some time since the lizard did indeed bite the snake as well! Also after the snake finally swallowed the lizard, it ate the lizard's tail which had fallen off as well."

Observation and photos sent to me by a neighbor, Y. Jin.

I questioned further and received the additional photos and following explanation. What's neat, too, is that the Elgaria has its tail in the first photos, but then at some point, dropped the tail, and the snake also ate the drop tail once it was done with the Elgaria.

"And YES the snake won, but it took some time since the lizard did indeed bite the snake as well! Also after the snake finally swallowed the lizard, it ate the lizard's tail which had fallen off as well."

The part of their courtship I observed consisted of the male and female darting out from the garden, begin circling each other closely and then him locking her in a tight embrace with his mouth.  About ten minutes later, she wiggled away.  Another one was spotted nearby that had lost part of its tail, though regeneration was visible so it wasn't a fresh wound.