Cottonmouths are venomous semi-aquatic snakes often referred to as “water moccasins.” They have large, triangular heads with a dark line through the eye, elliptical pupils, and large jowls due to the venom glands. They are large – typically 24 - 48 in (61 - 122 cm), occassionally larger, keeled-scaled, heavy-bodied snakes. Their coloration is highly variable: they can be beautifully marked with dark crossbands on a brown and yellow ground color or completely brown or black. Older adults are often dark and solid-colored whereas the juveniles are brightly patterned with a sulphur yellow tail tip that they wiggle to attract prey. The belly typically has dark and brownish-yellow blotches with the underside of the tail being black. As pit-vipers they have facial pits that sense heat and are used to detect prey and predators. Male cottonmouths are larger than females.
Cottonmouths range throughout the Southeast, north to southeastern Virginia. In our region cottonmouths are generally restricted to the Coastal Plain but are found in a few Piedmont locations west of Atlanta, Georgia. They can be found in nearly all freshwater habitats but are most common in cypress swamps, river floodplains, and heavily-vegetated wetlands. Cottonmouths will venture overland and are sometimes found far from permanent water. Cottonmouths often congregate around drying pools in wetlands to feed on trapped fish and amphibians.
Welcome to Watch For Snakes #6, this great series was originally placed by FLmassage1 in 2008 sadly he is no longer playing so I decided to keep this great series alive by adopting them and making a few changes from his original hides.
You are on a 12.1 miles journey through the wonderful Florida Everglades which will give you 10 great hides on key spots of this trail.
I will strongly recommend you to do this great journey on bike, but for the most extreme geocachers it will be a great hike as well.
ON December 31 of 2010 a group of 9 geocachers and three geo k9 decided to help me fix and replace this whole series at one shot. Needless to say it was an amazing way to close a caching year!
Rangergirl141, soflfamily, McPhenius, radioman84, ikolor, HurricaneJuan & Hazel, Kato and Ruby
The repair crew!
Suggested gear for this cache
*Bug repellent
*hiking footwear
*hiking pole or stick
*Water
*Bike
*Hat
* Tire repair kit ( BIKES )
*Camera
*Essential “the will to hike/bike and know your Everglades”