Our Natural Adventures

Category: snakes

  • June 15, 2025 – Middleboro, MA

    June 15, 2025 – Middleboro, MA

    We were finally able to visit the Nemasket River Village Archaeological Preserve together! It is a place I wrote about a couple weeks ago when I scouted it one afternoon. The weekends have been so terrible this spring that we haven’t had a lot of adventures together, so it was nice to finally be at it again.

    The day turned out to be quite nice weather-wise. I am not quite sure of the temperature, but it was comfortable, upper 60’s probably and mostly sunny.

    The first time I scouted the area, I found a lot of Long Dash skippers, so I expected to see a bunch again today. There were less than I had expected, but the skipper activity was quite high along all of the trails with a few surprises thrown in.

    We saw Cabbage Whites, Peck’s Skippers, Long Dash Skippers, European Skippers, Least Skippers, Zabulon Skippers, a few Red-banded Hairstreaks and a Monarch! We also were able to see a couple Red Admiral caterpillars on False Nettle.

    I also spotted a Garter Snake (photo above) which was perched up in the high grasses. I’m still not sure how it was keeping itself up there.

    The place is a bit of a gem that seems to be lightly visited, so it will most certainly be a place we check out throughout the season.

    Red-banded Hairstreak
    Monarch
    Least Skipper
    Cabbage White
    Mating European Skippers

  • May 1, 2025 – Nasketucket Bay Reservation

    May 1, 2025 – Nasketucket Bay Reservation

    Took a little time this afternoon to go to Nasketucket Bay Reservation in Mattapoisett, MA to see if I could find Henry’s Elfins since we saw one there last year and were rather surprised by it.

    Nasketucket is a nice place for a walk with wide trails, some nectar plants throughout the season and a variety of butterflies all summer long.

    The reservation has several different habitats with forest, fields, ocean (if you walk all the way to the end) and several wetter areas with vernal pools.

    Nice wide clean trails!
    Some of the wetter areas have these boardwalks

    I walked around for a while before finding anything interesting today. The weather was nice with lots of sun, but a bit chilly with temps only in the lower 60’s. The first butterfly I saw was an Azure. I am still unsure if this is a Summer Azure or a Spring Azure, form violacea. Since ALL of the Azures here (I saw about 12 or more) were the same, I suspect Summer Azure, but I can’t be sure.

    This one was just slightly darker.
    Summer? Spring?

    Eventually, I came across an Eastern Pine Elfin which wasn’t a surprise. Nasketucket is where I saw my first ever Pine Elfin so I sort of suspected I may see one.

    Eastern Pine Elfin

    I also spotted (so to speak) a spotted turtle crossing one of the paths! That was a bit of a surprise although I know they are all over this area of the state.

    Spotted Turtle

    I also saw two different Garter Snakes on the side of the path.

    Common Garter Snake

    Finally, on my way back, I found what I had come for. A Henry’s Elfin! I had seen something dark fly off on my way down the trail, but on the way back it seemed to be stopping which was awesome! This one seemed to be missing one of the clubs at the end of it’s left antenna. I have never seen that before.

    Henry’s Elfin

    A little further up the path, I found another one!

    Henry’s Elfin

    This, along with the one we saw there last year verifies that there is an active population there which is great to know.

    All in all, it was a great little walk with a questions remaining (about the Azures) but some answers as well.