Eastern Garter Snakes are one of the most common and wide-ranging snakes in the United States. These snakes derive their name from the resemblance of their dark stripes to old-fashioned sock garters.

The Fowler's Toad prefers to live in areas with loose soil that it can easily burrow into. Though similar in appearance, their call is not as melodious as the trill of the American Toad; the Fowler Toad's song sounds more like a buzzy quack.

The only Ringneck Snake that I saw on the trip was this tiny one.

Hanging out with fellow field herpers Mike Pingleton and Matt Cage.

One of the many Green Treefrogs seen on the trip.

Eastern Fence Lizards were seen in a few areas that I visited. They are well-known for their climbing abilities.

A young Cottonmouth that was surprisingly dark for its age.

A Southern Leopard Frog - at night they are often out and about and seen crossing roads. In the daytime I've encountered them in a range of habitats, including deep in the woods and high up in limestone bluffs.

Probably due to the drought-like conditions, Central Newts were nowhere near as commonly seen than on previous visits to southern Illinois.

A Western Ribbon Snake seen on the side of Snake Road crawling in the vegetation.

A Bird-voiced Treefrog/Green Treefrog Combo

A Cottonmouth illustrating why it received its common name.

A female Eastern Box Turtle that was out and about one rainy morning.

Before I knew it, my Snake Road trip had come to a close. It was excellent to encounter so many field herpers and a number of awesome reptiles and amphibians (Bird-voiced Treefrog).

Click here to see photos from 2018