Alterna Collecting Records
One of our favorite things to do each spring is to travel to West Texas in search of Gray-banded Kingsnakes. In fact, we now live only an hour away from the nearest known alterna locality, and chasing these beautiful desert serpents is something that we can now enjoy on any given weekend. Below, I've listed collecting details on each of the alterna that Marla & I have encountered over the years. I've omitted photos of DOR specimens, but have included descriptions of those animals.
# | Date | Location | Notes |
Photo |
1. | 06/16/87 | TX: Val Verde Co; 9 mi N of Baker's Crossing on Tx 163 | found Dead on Road (DOR), dark blair's male |
20" dark blairs, muddy orange |
2. | 06/17/87 | TX: Val Verde Co; 4.3 mi N of Baker's Crossing on Tx 163 | a young male found Alive on Road (AOR) at 0050 hrs. 82 degrees F; Troy, Toby, & Terry Hibbitts |
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3. | 06/17/87 | TX: Val Verde Co; 1.1 mi W of Shumla picnic area on US 90 | DOR male, too badly mangled to preserve; no photo |
40" dark blairs, average orange |
4. | 06/17/87 | TX: Val Verde Co; 6.4 mi N of Langtry on Pandale dirt road | a dark phase gravid female AOR at 2115 hours (dusk). 90 degrees F; laid 5 eggs on 07/24/87; Troy, Toby, & Terry Hibbitts |
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5. | 07/17/87 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; ca. 2 mi S jct fm 1832 on Tx 17 | DOR female, just been hit |
25" dark alterna, very busy pattern, diamond-shaped blotches |
6. | 07/16/91 | TX: Val Verde Co; 0.2 mi N of Loma Alta on US 277 | ~3ft male AOR, light alterna phase found at 2120 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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7. | 08/04/91 | TX: Terrell Co; 9 mi N of Sanderson on US 285 | 18" female found on cut while walking, 2215 hours; found by Troy |
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8. | 05/28/92 | TX: Brewster Co; 6.1 mi NW of La Linda on fm 2627 | ovulating female found AOR at 2214 hours, 72 degrees F; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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9. | 06/04/92 | TX: Presidio Co; 4.6 mi W of the Big Hill on fm 170 | 18" male AOR at 0210 hours; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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10. | 06/29/92 | TX: Val Verde Co; 1.8 mi N of Baker's Crossing on Tx 163 | adult male AOR at 2240 hours; barely on road, got into grass and almost lost him; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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11. | 06/30/92 | TX: Val Verde Co; 8.8 mi S jct fm 189 on Tx 163 | light phase blair's male AOR at 0805 hours - had apparently been hit by car in early a.m., but survived; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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12. | 07/25/92 | TX: Terrell Co; 7.4 mi N of Sanderson on US 285 | very flat DOR, papery dry |
narrow banded blairs, high band count, very light |
13. | 07/08/93 | TX: Brewster Co; 6.8 mi NW of La Linda on fm 2627 | 30" male AOR at 2320 hrs, full moon had just come up; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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14. | 07/10/93 | TX: Terrell Co; 2.8 mi W of Sanderson on US 90 | a 14" female found on cut by Marla while walking at 0030 hours, full moon had just come up; found by Marla |
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15. | 05/21/94 | TX: Val Verde Co; Dollen Creek Road, W of Loma Alta | a 30" female found on hillside along road while walking at ~2230; found by Troy |
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16. | 06/04/94 | TX: Terrell Co; 3.2 mi W of Sanderson on US 90 | 26" male black alterna morph found on cut at ~0130 hrs (walking); found by Troy |
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17. | 06/12/94 | TX: Terrell Co; 7.2 mi E of Sanderson on US 90 | 20" male unattractive blairs found while walking cut at 0420 hrs; found by Troy |
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18. | 06/01/95 | TX: Brewster Co; 22.9 mi NW of La Linda on fm 2627 | 16" male found AOR at 0155 hrs; beautiful dark blairs; Troy Hibbitts |
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19. | 06/22/95 | TX: Terrell Co; 4.0 mi N jct fm 2400 on Tx 349 | 12" dark blair's female found while walking towards road cut in gravel near road; 2300 hrs; found by Troy |
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20. | 06/25/95 | TX: Terrell Co; 2.6 mi W of Sanderson on US 90 | 20" dark blair's male found on cut at 0115 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts; spotted by Troy |
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21. | 06/25/95 | TX: Terrell Co; 2.4 mi W of Sanderson on US 90 | 28" stunning light phase alterna female AOR at 0120 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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22. | 06/01/97 | TX: Presidio Co; 10.7 mi W of the Big Hill on fm 170 | 26" buckskin blair's male found AOR at 0246 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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23. | 06/07/97 | TX: Presidio Co; 2.3 mi W of the Big Hill on fm 170 | 28" silver and black alterna morph female AOR at 0340 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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24. | 06/07/97 | TX: Presidio Co; 8.0 mi W of the Big Hill on fm 170 | 20" alterna male found AOR at 2244 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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25. | 06/08/97 | TX: Presidio Co; 2.9 mi W of the Big Hill on fm 170 | 28" speckled male found AOR at 0051 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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26. | 06/08/97 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; 7.6 mi NE of Ft. Davis on Tx 17 | 28" light alterna male found DOR |
light alterna morph, speckled neck |
27. | 06/11/99 | TX: Terrell Co; on Fm 2400, 1.5 mi W jct TX 349 | 32" light phase alterna female found on cut at 0327 hrs; ovulating; spotted by Troy |
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28. | 06/11/99 | TX: Terrell Co; on Fm 2400, 1.5 mi W jct TX 349 | 38" light phase blairs male found on cut at 0405 hrs; same exact spot as female above; Troy Hibbitts |
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29. | 07/10/99 | TX: Presidio Co; 2.0 mi W of the Top of the Big Hill on Fm 170 | 32" light-to-medium phase alterna female AOR at 2252 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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30. | 08/03/99 | TX: Terrell Co; on Fm 2400, 11 mi W jct Tx 349 | 20" screaming light phase blairs male on cut at 0050 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts; spotted by Troy |
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31. | 07/02/00 | TX: Brewster Co; on Fm 2627, 3.0 mi NW of La Linda | 28" dark phase alterna morph male, with 16 orange bowties and extensive white AOR at 0010 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts |
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32. | 05/20/01 | TX: Brewster Co; on FM 2627, 10.7 mi NW of La Linda | 10" medium to dark phase blair's morph female with 17 clean orange bands and a few alternates, found on cut at 0325 hrs; Troy Hibbitts & Kenny Wray; spotted by Kenny Wray |
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33. | 06/23/01 | TX: Val Verde Co; on US 90, 0.3 mi E of Pecos River Bridge | 24" medium phase blairs male with good orange, at bottom of cut at 0152 hrs;Troy & Robert Hibbitts; Spotted by Robert |
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34. | 5/24/03 | TX: Val Verde Co; on US 277, 0.2 mi N of Loma Alta | 13" light muddy-orange blairs male on cut at ~0100 hrs; Troy Hibbitts & Kenny Wray; Spotted by Kenny Wray |
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35. | 5/25/03 | TX: Val Verde Co; on US 277, 12.8 mi S of Loma Alta | 25" light blairs male, DOR |
light blairs, muddy but bright orange |
36. | 5/25/03 | TX: Val Verde Co; on US 277, 9.0 mi S of Loma Alta | 30" silver and black alterna male w/stub tail - on cut at 2332 hrs;Troy Hibbitts & Kenny Wray; spotted by Troy |
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37. | 5/25/03 | TX: Val Verde Co; on US 277, 10.1 mi S of Loma Alta | 32" black-headed light blairs on cut at 2338 hrs; Troy Hibbitts & Kenny Wray; spotted by Troy |
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38. | 6/28/03 | TX: Val Verde Co; on US 277, 1.8 mi N of Loma Alta | 24" silvery light alterna female on cut at 0147 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts; spotted by Marla |
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39. | 6/12/04 | TX: Val Verde Co; on US 277, 4.5 mi S of Loma Alta | 33" ovulating female on cut at 2120 hrs; spotted by Troy | |
40. | 7/03/05 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 2.2 mi NW jct TX 17 | 30" female alterna on cut at 2308 hrs; spotted by Troy | |
41. | 7/26/05 | TX: Brewster Co; on TX 118, 5.4 mi S of Alpine | juv male alterna phase on cut at 2249 hrs found by Marla | |
42. | 8/01/05 | TX: Brewster Co; on TX 118, 9.1 mi N jct fm 170 | juv male alterna phase on cut at 0321 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts; spotted by Troy | |
43. | 8/03/05 | TX: Brewster Co; on TX 118, 5.4 mi S of Alpine | juv female alterna phase found on cut at 2229 hrs; found by Marla | |
44. | 8/03/05 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 2.4 mi NW jct TX 17 | juv female heavily speckled alterna found on cut at 2300 hrs; spotted by Troy | |
45. | 8/26/05 | TX: Brewster Co; on TX 118, 5.9 mi S of Alpine | juv male alterna phase on cut at 2146; Troy & Terry Hibbitts; spotted by Troy | |
46. | 8/26/05 | TX: Brewster Co; on US 90, 3.5 mi E of Paisano Baptist Encampment | juv male alterna phase on cut at 2232 hrs; spotted by Troy | |
47. | 8/27/05 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 12.5 mi NW jct TX 17 | 30" speckled alterna phase male on cut at 2109 hrs; Troy & Terry Hibbitts; spotted by Troy | |
48. | 8/27/05 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 12.7 mi NW jct TX 17 | juv male alterna phase on cut at 2358 hrs; Troy & Terry Hibbitts; spotted by Troy | |
49. | 6/25/06 | TX: Terrell Co; on US 285, 8.3 mi N jct US 90 | juv male blairs phase found on cut at 2225 hrs; spotted by Troy | |
50. | 7/26/06 | TX: Brewster Co; on TX 118, 21.2 mi S of Alpine | 24" extremely speckled blairs male on cut at 0025 hrs; Troy & Marla Hibbitts & Tim Burkhardt; spotted by Troy | |
51. | 6/14/07 | TX: Val Verde Co; on US 277, 1.0 mi S of Loma Alta | 26" dark blairs male with a few alternates on cut at 2245 hrs; Troy, Marla, Terry, & Cheyenne Hibbitts | |
52. | 7/27/07 | TX: Val Verde Co; near Loma Alta | 28" light phase blairs male spotted by Marla at 2234 on "way home" from watching "Harry Potter" at Del Rio Cinema; Troy, Marla, and Cheyenne Hibbitts | |
53. | 8/18/07 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; near Ft. Davis | 14" buckskin alterna phase male spotted at 2124 hrs; Troy Hibbitts | |
54. | 7/18/09 | TX: Presidio Co; near Alpine | 25" buckskin alterna phase male spotted at 0110 hrs; Troy Hibbitts | |
55. | 7/11/10 | TX: Presidio Co; "River Road" | 28" alterna phase male found at 2126 hrs; Troy Hibbitts | |
56. | 8/02/16 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; Muzquiz Canyon, on TX 118, 0.5 mi N jct FM 1837 | 34" alterna phase male found crawling into crack near top of cut at 2110 hrs; Troy Hibbitts | |
57. | 8/05/16 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 3.3 mi W jct TX 17 | 28" alterna phase male found high on cut at 2152 hrs; Troy Hibbitts | |
58. | 9/4/16 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 1.9 mi W jct TX 17 | 32" alterna phase male found on cut in crack at 2044; Marla Hibbitts (with assist from Troy Hibbitts) | |
59. | 9/4/16 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 2.2 mi W jct TX 17 | 18" alterna phase male found at top edge of cut at 2247; Troy Hibbitts | |
60. | 9/24/16 | TX: Brewster Co; on FM 2627, 10.6 mi NW of La Linda | 18" speckled dark alterna phase male found crawling into crack on cut at 2145; Troy Hibbitts | |
61. | 5/16/17 | TX: Val Verde Co; on US 90, 3.7 mi W of Langtry | 16" medium blairs female found crawling at base of cut at 2132 hrs; Troy Hibbitts & Tim Burkhardt (spotted by Troy) | |
62. | 5/16/17 | TX: Val Verde Co; on US 90, 3.5 mi W of Langtry | 28" dark blairs female with interesting split nuchal and spectacular white highlights; found crawling on cut shoulder-high at 2328 hrs; Tim Burkhardt & Troy Hibbitts (spotted by Tim) | |
63. | 7/17/17 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 9.4 mi N jct FM 1837 | 14" light alterna female with speckled neck, some triples, and narrow orange slits, somewhat irregular pattern; found crawling out of crack shoulder high on cut at 2144 hours; Troy Hibbitts | |
64. | 7/17/17 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 8.9 mi N jct FM 1837 | 18" light alterna female with speckled neck and lots of triples all the way down body and zero orange; found crawling near "pancake" stack of rocks 10' high at top of cut at 2208 hours; Troy Hibbitts | |
65. | 7/18/17 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 3.1 mi NW jct TX 17 (about 8' below where #53 above was found) | 20" light alterna male with heavy, highly contrasting black, an orange nuchal, and bold alternates; found crawling 1' from base of cut reaching neck onto branch of desert willow tree at 2340 hours; Troy Hibbitts | |
66. | 7/19/17 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 2.5 mi NW jct TX 17 | 10" medium alterna female with speckles and triples throughout body, open circle alternates, and orange slits; found crawling 1' from base of cut on rock ledge at 0115 hours; Troy Hibbitts | |
67. | 7/19/17 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 9.2 mi N jct FM 1837 | 12" light alterna female nearly 100% speckled and irregularly marked with a few faded orange spots from midbody back; found crawling at top of sloping dirt/rock cut interface about 10' from base of cut at 2343 hours; Troy Hibbitts | |
68. | 7/20/17 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 2.7 mi NW jct TX 17 | 18" medium alterna female with a little nuchal speckling and triples, small orange diamonds, and few irregular spots; found crawling in shallow horizontal crevice about 8' from base of cut behind juniper tree at 2145 hours; Troy Hibbitts | |
69. | 7/20/17 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 3.3 mi NW jct TX 17 (about 2' to left of where #57 above was found) | 28" buckskin blairs with 18 blairs bands, each band equal and width and the same width as interspaces; odd head markings, red-eyes, and milksnake-ish ventral pattern (possibly hybrid alterna x celaenops; to the best of my knowledge, first blairs phase recorded from Davis Mountains); found crawling down rock face approximately 16' up on cut at 2224 hours; Troy Hibbitts | |
70. | 8/26/17 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 1.9 mi NW jct TX 17 | DOR; 12" female with triples near front of body and orange diamonds towards rear | |
71. | 7/3/18 | TX: Jeff Davis Co; on TX 118, 3.1 mi NW jct TX 17 | 20" dark alterna found on cut by Marla at 2315 and later by me at 0008 hrs; snake was at spot innaccessible to direct climbing and on ledges difficult to rake off. Very quickly got under rock in center of photo when initially spotted. Later, it was about 3-4' away from rock but I was unable to hook him off the cut with the pole, only touching him with the hook. Rapidly retreated under big rock. Climbing from car showed that said big rock was immovable. Had I been able to climb directly or had the truck been parked nearby, we almost certainly would have caught him. My impression was of a dark, very regular alterna, probably with little spotting and no orange. Marla & Troy Hibbitts. |