King snake: A fastidious reptile that feeds exclusively on crayfish. But in winter, crayfish come for revenge (8 photos)

How do you imagine the Snake Queen? The imagination immediately draws something like a deadly cobra, a mysterious anaconda or the giant python Kaa from the stories about Mowgli. But in fact, the most honorable title among all legless reptiles went to the harmless water snake, albeit not quite an ordinary one. As befits a person of blue, cold blood, this one is extremely picky about food, living conditions, and its habitat.





Perhaps this is why the queen snake is found only in the temperate climate of North America, where it is not too hot, not too cold, and most importantly, there are comfortable streams with clean and warm water and a rocky bottom. Our Majesty does not want to live in other conditions.



It was in their homeland that they gave the snake the nickname Queen snake, which is also consonant with the Latin name of the genus of these snakes - Regina - “queen”. This genus includes only two species, and they differ from others in the peculiarity of their diet. The fact is that all these plebeian frogs and tadpoles are not suitable for our whims: these “queens” feed exclusively on crayfish.





I can already hear how tense the Dota players are. Don’t worry, my dear gamers: the royal snake hunts only recently molted crayfish, whose shell has not yet had time to strengthen, and the crayfish themselves are weak and are not able to fight off with their claws. True, in times of hunger, the queen of snakes can afford to snack on fish or a frog while none of the servants are looking.



Outwardly, nothing in the American shows that he is already a royal person: he has neither a scepter nor an orb, and how can he hold them, since the snake doesn’t even have legs. Not at all “majestic” - 60 cm in length, dark body and light belly - the king snake looks like many other snakes. It can be distinguished by four dark stripes that run along the lower abdomen along the entire body. Young snakes have seven stripes on their bodies, which disappear over time, which is why the scientific name of the species is translated as “Queen of the Seven Stripes.”



During the day, the royal snake hunts, briskly crawling between stones, and in his free time he likes to bask in the sun to the soothing sound of water. In case of any possible danger, the snake quickly retreats into the water and is all that is seen.



If you catch her, she is unlikely to bite you, but she will squirm furiously and literally throw poop at you, splashing stinking feces around. The smell of this musk is so corrosive that it will be difficult to remove it from clothes even after the third wash.



By winter, king snakes begin to prepare for hibernation. They make holes for themselves in rocks, bridge supports or old dams and all their “young friendly team” go to bed. And then it’s time for revenge!



Crayfish put on Commando war paint and go on the warpath, starting the hunt for lethargic and sleepy snakes. Balance is restored at least for a short time, and the victim can feel like a hunter.