Bald Eagle
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Identification: Large, brown birds with a white head(adult) and yellow beaks and talons. Juveniles have a splotched brown pattern and a brown head.

Diet: Fish, rodents and carrion.

Habitat: Riverside, seaside.

Range: Much of North America

Notes: These large, iconic birds are the National bird of the United States. They won out against Benjamin Franklin's choice, the Wild Turkey. They are mostly found near substantial bodies of water where they can find fish to eat. Females are larger than males, juveniles lack the defining white head. Although its numbers have rebounded since the banning of the synthesized insecticide DDT(which weakened raptor egg shells after working its way up the food chain and becoming more concentrated) Bald Eagles are still protected by the Endangered Species Act and the Bald Eagle Protection Act (it protects Golden Eagles also). Their Latin name roughly translates into white-headed sea eagle. They build large, heavy nests.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Roaring Brook has a male bald eagle living in the raptor center.

Red-Tailed Hawk
(Buteo jamaicensis)

Identification: Large, brown raptors with red tail feathers.

Diet: Rodents, rabbits, lizards, fish, songbirds

Habitat: Forests, fields, reservoirs.

Range: Most of North America

Notes: The red-tailed hawk is a large avian predator, relatively common throughout the state. The red-tailed hawk will eat a wide variety of animals, including mice, squirrels, chipmunks, songbirds, fish, rabbits, and most small animals. Bird of prey are making a recovery after the banning of DDT, a synthesized insecticide that weakened eggs shells, drastically declining populations of raptors. Red-Tailed hawks have bounced back magnificently, becoming very common by comparison to most other species. Red-Tailed hawks have a number of color variations. Red-tails flap their wings only when they need to, preferring to ride thermals instead. Red-tailed hawks also are known for their distinctive “Kree” shrieking call.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Roaring Brook Nature Center has two red-tailed hawks in the raptor center.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Saw-whet Owl
(Aegolius acadicus)

Identification: Tiny, rounded owls with large yellow eyes, small beaks, no head tufts, and red-brown body coloration and white belly

Diet: Small rodents

Habitat: Forest

Range: Northern North America, migrates south during the winter.

Notes: Saw-whet owls are CT' smallest owl. Saw-whet owls live in the forest and can be relatively common in Connecticut, especially during the winter. Because they are so small saw-whet owls sometimes have to eat their prey (mainly mice) in segments, lest they choke on their food. Like most other owls saw-whet owls are nocturnal. Saw-whet owls hunt at night on branches that are low to the ground so that they can quickly swoop down on their prey. A saw-whet owl's small size and relatively unnoticeable coloration allow it to hide from threats. Saw-whet owls go to extraordinary lengths not to move when approached as they are trying to avoid detection. Female saw-whet owls are larger than male saw-whet owls. Saw-whet owls are cavity nesters. Baby saw-whet owls are altricial (featherless and unable to move freely).

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Turkey Vulture
(Cathartes aura)

Identification: Large, black birds with bald, red heads and large, open “nostrils”.

Diet: Carrion

Habitat: Forests, fields, riversides etc.

Range: Much of the continental U.S.

Notes: Unmistakable scavengers, these familiar birds can be seen flying high in the sky riding thermals. Vultures flap their wings very little during flight making them easy to spot. Black vultures ( Coragyps atratus ) can have a wingspan over six feet! Vultures are often feared and vilified but if there were no vultures there would be much more disease. Vultures help rid the world of rotting animal carcasses. Turkey vultures can be distinguished from black vultures by their red heads. A vulture's food source is carrion, or dead animal. Vultures have bald heads so that they can eat carrion without fear of getting it stuck in their feathers. Each of these species has their own way of finding carrion. Turkey vultures primarily use scent to find carrion, while black vultures rely on sight, often spotting turkey vultures to find food.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Roaring Brook Nature Center has a turkey vulture named "Thomasina" living in the raptor center with the bald eagle.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

American Toad
(Anaxyrus americanus americanus )

Identification: Stocky, brown warty frog-like animals.

Diet: Highly insectivorous-Crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, moths, flies and other small invertebrates.

Habitat: Forests, yards, fields, ponds, reservoirs, mountains.

Range: Canada south to Georgia, West to Kansas and north to Wisconsin.

Notes: This brown, warty toad can grow larger than a golf ball. It is highly predatory, feasting on small invertebrates. Most fish cannot eat toad tadpoles, as they are toxic to them. Toad tadpoles are small and black and can be found hiding in the silt at the bottom of streams and ponds. Neither toads nor frogs cause warts. Toads are not very aquatic, but are decent swimmers. Toads can be found hopping around the CT, hidden within the grass. American toads come in a variety of browns. Toad "warts" behind the ears are actually parotoid glands. Parotoid glands produce foul toxins as a natural defense mechanism. Toads also play opossum and "inflate" themselves to appear larger than they really are. Toads lay their eggs in strands. The mating clasp of a toad or frog is called amplexus.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: An American toad can be found in the Wetlands room.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Black Rat Snake
(Elaphe obsoleta)

Identification: Medium-sized deep black dorsal coloration, and stark white ventral coloration. They can grow past seven feet in length.

Diet: Rats, Mice, other rodents, eggs, frogs, small birds, lizards.

Habitat: Forests, marshes, fields.

Range: Maine south to Florida, west to Texas.

Notes: This rat-eating snake can be recognized by its contrasting colors. During equinox seasons it is diurnal, but then it switches to being nocturnal during solstice seasons. Black rat snakes can be found in Connecticut. Black rat snakes are capable of climbing trees. Black rat snakes are constrictors, squeezing the breath out of their prey until it asphyxiates. Black rat snakes sometimes share hibernaculums with CT's two venomous snakes: Copperheads(Agkistrodon contortrix) and Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus). Wild black rat snakes will bite if approached, though they would rather hide or camouflage themselves. At a potential eight feet they are the largest snake in the state of Connecticut. Their eggs are only two inches long but the babies that hatch from them can sometimes be a foot long! Juveniles have a splotched grey pattern. Large, predatory mammals and raptors eat black rat snakes.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: A black rat snake can be seen in the auditorium.

Bullfrog
(Lithobates catesbiana)

Identification: Large, green frogs with large tympana.

Diet: Highly insectivorous- Crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, moths, flies and other small invertebrates. Bullfrogs are also capable of eating small mice.

Habitat: Areas surrounding freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers and streams.

Range: Eastern North America and introduced into the west.

Notes: Much larger than green frogs, the bullfrog is the state's largest frog. The bullfrog also lays its eggs in permanent bodies of water because its development can take longer than three years. Bullfrogs try to eat anything they can catch, including creatures as large as small bids. The bullfrog lays thousands of eggs and hibernates under water. The call of the male bullfrog is said to sound like a long, deep JUG-O-RUM. Males can be identified by large tympanic membranes(ears).

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: There is a small bullfrog on display at the Nature Center.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Eastern Box Turtle
(Terrapene carolina)

Identification: Dome-shelled terrestrial turtles with dark shells with varied yellow and red markings. They also possess a slight “beak”.

Diet: Worms, mushrooms, slugs, fruit, mushrooms.

Habitat: Lowland areas near water.

Range: New England to Florida, eastern Midwest.

Notes: These native turtles can be instantly recognized by their dome shaped shells. They run into frequent accidents when crossing roads. If you help a box turtle make sure you get it to the other side of the road the way it is facing. Because they are a protected species you can't take them home as pets. Removing an individual also prevents that individual from increasing the population and, should you choose to free it later, it may find trouble as it tries to make its way home. Box turtles are renowned for their special defense mechanism: they can entirely close their shell due to their hinged plastron(lower shell). They use this to protect themselves from predators like foxes. Males usually have reddish eyes. They can live for several decades. They can sometimes be toxic (inedible) to humans due to the mushrooms they eat. Box turtles hibernate in the ground(soft soil), a unique trait in CT.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: A male eastern box turtle can be found in the turtle pen behind Roaring Brook (in the summer) or inside the wetlands room (in the winter).

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Gray Treefrog
(Hyla versicolor)

Identification: Small, gray frogs with long toes and large toe pads with yellow under the legs.

Diet: Gray treefrogs are highly insectivorous and eat tiny invertebrates like gnats, ants and crickets.

Habitat: Forests near freshwater.

Range: Maine south to Georgia, then West to Texas.

Notes: Gray treefrogs are known for their diminutive size, grey body and dark yellow legs. Their skin also has a somewhat rough texture. Gray Treefrogs become lighter-colored as temperatures rise. Gray treefrogs are fairly common and have a great range. Gray treefrogs are, as their name suggests, highly arboreal. Gray treefrog's incredibly adhesive toe pads allow it to attach itself to vertical surfaces. Gray tree frogs are nocturnal. Gray treefrog breeding season begins in April and goes through early spring. A grey treefrog's floating eggs hatch shortly after they are lain. Gray treefrog tadpoles have red tails. Gray treefrogs make large trilling choruses.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: A gray treefrog can be found in a tank in the Wetlands Room.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Painted Turtle
(Chrysemys picta)

Identification: They can be identified by their slightly rounded 5 inch shell. They have a distinctive red and yellow plastron (lower shell/belly).

Diet: Fish, crayfish, mollusks, insects, tadpoles, frogs, aquatic vegetation.

Habitat: Freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, streams.

Range: New England south to Georgia, Lousiana, Canada, Oklahoma, Oregon.

Notes: Painted turtles are extremely common in New England, the painted turtle is a very familiar species. They can be identified by their slightly rounded 5 inch shell. They have a distinctive red and yellow plastron (lower shell/belly). They eat small fish and frogs as well as several varieties of aquatic plants. Painted turtles become more herbivorous as they mature. Painted turtles love to bask on river banks and rocks. Males have longer nails and tails. During breeding, the male swims in front of the female and scratches her face. Turtles are also capable of breathing through their rear ends. Wild animals make bad pets, turtles are no exception. Turtles are known for carrying salmonella. This became a real problem back in the seventies when quarter-sized red-eared sliders were sold in small containers. These were often bought for small children who would not wash their hands after handling their turtles.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Painted turtles are kept at the Nature Center in the late spring and summer and are released in late summer to prepare for winter. Not Currently at the Nature Center.

James T. Dowling-Healey

Snapping Turtle
(Chelydra serpentina)

Identification: Large, dark turtles with spiked shells, long, plated tails and beak-like mouth. Snapping turtles have a distinctively prehistoric look.

Diet: Carnivorous- Fish, frogs, snails, crayfish, tadpoles and even ducklings.

Habitat: Freshwater ponds, swamps, marshes, rivers, lakes.

Range: Canada south to the Gulf Coast.

Notes: The largest turtle in Connecticut, these easily recognizable turtles are capable of growing to lengths of 16 inches or more. Snapping turtles have a distinctively prehistoric look. Snappers cannot bite through broom handles or toes. However, snapping turtles are very aggressive reptiles and can deliver very powerful bites. They are much more aggressive turtles on land than in water, where they are fairly placid. Breeding involves much nipping. Female snappers can control their pregnancy. Snapping turtles like shallows with plenty of vegetation to hide in. Snapping turtles, like alligators and crocodiles, are ambush predators, surprising their prey. Snappers can camouflage themselves easily making them incredibly effective predators. Snapping turtles will eat almost anything they can catch especially frogs and fish.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Roaring Brook Nature Center has a hatchling snapping turtle in their wetlands room.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Spotted Salamander
(Ambystoma maculatum)

Description: Relatively large(6-8 inch long) dark-blue salamanders with bright yellow spots.

Range: Spotted salamanders have a very large range extending from New England, New York, Canada, south to Georgia and west to Texas.

Habitat: Leaf litter in forests near water.

Diet: Spotted salamanders eat tiny invertebrates like gnats and ants.

Notes: Spotted salamanders are vernal pool obligate species, meaning they need vernal pools as a part of their life cycle. Vernal pools are small, fishless bodies of water usually found in woodlands. Spotted Salamanders use vernal pools for breeding. Males deposit spermatophores on the pool's bottom and the female picks the spermatophores up with her cloaca. Afterwards she lays her fertilized eggs. Spotted salamanders lay their eggs in egg masses- gelatinous blobs of eggs held together. Salamander larvae have feathery gill projections on either side of their head. Spotted salamanders are CT's most common mole salamander (Ambystomid). "Big Nights" are nights when salamanders and frogs migrate to vernal pools. Salamanders and frogs are often run over when they try to cross roads. Spotted Salamanders are slow, and their natural defense is unpalatability in the form a bad tasting skin secretion, not particularly helpful against oncoming cars. Be aware on rainy, early spring nights and drive slowly when in an area with a vernal pool. Amphibians are indicator species of the natural condition of a habitat because their easily permeable skin is easily influenced by foreign chemicals.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Roaring Brook Nature Center has a spotted salamander will be on display this spring in our new vernal pool exhibit area. Wild spotted salamanders also use Roaring Brook's vernal pool for breeding.

Spring Peeper
(Pseudacris crucifer)

Description: Small, nocturnal gray brown frogs. Their diminutive size, characteristic chorusing and cross-like(crucifer) pattern on their backs make spring peepers easy to identify.

Range: New England, Wisconsin, Florida, Texas.

Habitat: Trees and low-lying vegetation near bodies of fresh water. Woodlands.

Diet: Spring peepers eat tiny invertebrates like gnats and ants.

Notes: Spring peepers used to be classified as tree frogs( Hyla ) but because of their smaller toe suction cups(toe pads) they have been classified as chorus frogs( Pseudacris ). Spring peepers sport a cross-like(crucifer) X pattern on their backs. Spring peepers are among the first frogs to emerge from dormancy. Spring peepers are nocturnal. The spring peeper is a vernal pool obligate species, meaning they need vernal pools as a part of their life cycle. Vernal pools are small, fishless bodies of water usually found in woodlands. Spring peepers use vernal pools for breeding. Spring peepers lay their eggs singly in these vernal pools. Spring peepers are CT's smallest frog, with adult individuals rarely exceeding an inch. Females, which are bigger than males, only are about 1.5 inches when they are bloated with eggs! Spring peepers are so named because of their loud "peeping" choruses. Males have inflatable throat sacs which, when depressed, create a peeping sound used to signal females to the males location. Along with wood frogs spring peepers can freeze solid in the winter and emerge unharmed because of the glycerol circulating in their bloodstream "Big Nights" are nights when salamanders and frogs migrate to vernal pools. Salamanders and frogs are often run over when they try to cross roads. Be aware of rainy, early spring nights and drive slowly when in an area with a vernal pool. Amphibians are indicator species of the natural condition of a habitat because their easily permeable skin is easily influenced by foreign chemicals.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Spring peepers are not kept on exhibit at Roaring Brook Nature Center, but they can be heard around its trails at night. Spring peepers use Roaring Brook's vernal pool.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Wood Frog
( Lithobates sylvatica)

Identification: Small(3 inches long) khaki-brown frogs with dark brown “masks”. Male wood frogs make calls that resemble the quack of a duck.

Diet: Wood frogs eat tiny invertebrates like slugs, crickets, ants and grubs.

Habitat: In New England wood frogs live in forests with ponds and vernal pools. Because of their amazing ability to freeze solid they are capable of living in the Northern tundra.

Range: The wood frog has one of the greatest ranges of any frog, it is the only frog found north of the Artic Circle. They range through much of New England and most of the northern US, Canada and the artic circle.

Notes: Wood frogs are small khaki-brown frogs easily recognized by their dark “eye masks” and quack-like call. Wood frogs are diurnal. Wood frogs are among the first frogs to emerge from dormancy in late winter. Wood frogs attach their egg masses to underwater vegetation. Wood frogs are vernal pool obligate species, meaning they need vernal pools as a part of their life cycle. Vernal pools are small, fishless bodies of water usually found in woodlands. Wood frogs use vernal pools for breeding. Wood frogs are best known for their ability to freeze solid in the winter and emerge unharmed because of the glycerol circulating in their bloodstream. One of the biggest threats to Wood Frogs beside habitat loss are road crossings. "Big Nights" are nights when salamanders and frogs migrate to vernal pools. Salamanders and frogs are often run over when they try to cross roads. Be aware on rainy, early spring nights and drive slowly when in an area with a vernal pool. Amphibians are indicator species of the natural condition of a habitat because their easily permeable skin is easily influenced by foreign chemicals.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Roaring Brook Nature center has a wood frog in the Wetlands room. Wood frogs also use Roaring Brook Nature Center's vernal pool for breeding.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Boa Constrictor
(Boa constrictor)

Identification: Large, tan snakes with brown markings. They can exceed eleven feet in length.

Diet: Rodents such as rats, birds, and sometimes small pigs.

Habitat: Rainforest (Arboreal)

Range: South and Central America

Notes: These large snakes are known for their impressive length and preferred method of execution-constriction. A boa constrictor will wrap themselves around their prey, gradually increasing the pressure as they begin to coil around their prey, until they have crushed the prey animal's lungs- asphyxiating it. Constrictors will bite their prey before it is dead, though usually after it is somewhat weakened as the snake does not want to lose dentition to a struggling meal. The Snake will then begin to swallow the prey, opening their incredibly flexible mouth as the snake works its way farther down the animal. A lump can be seen where the consumed animal rests in the snake's digestive tract. The Red-Tailed subspecies is one of the most commonly kept of the Boa Constrictor subspecies. Boas can live for a few decades if cared for properly, but they require incredibly large enclosures, large rats, and specific temperature requirements to keep them happy and healthy, and are a very bad choice for most people. Being a boa, Boa constrictors give birth to live young. Boa constrictors are non-venomous. They are considered “primitive” snakes.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Roaring Brook Nature Center has a large Boa Constrictor named Floyd in their Auditorium.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

California Kingsnake
(Lampropeltis getulus californiae) 

Identification: Long, smooth snakes usually possessing black and white rings, there is also an albino color morph, as pictured. The albino color morph has a yellow head, red eyes and white body.

Diet: Snakes, birds, rodents, lizards.

Habitat: Forests, fields, chapparal.

Range: Western North America

Notes: Kingsnakes are known for eating other snakes, even venomous ones, though they are not venomous themselves. They are resistant to venom. Ophiophagy is easy due to the shape of the snakes being eaten, they fit right in. Plus, the kingsnake's mouth can expand to fit prey. They are constrictors. Kingsnakes are among the most common “beginner” snakes, but they still require a lot of time, money and general care and thusly do not make a good pet for most people. Kingsnakes can also grow relatively large. There are many different California kingsnake patterns, all usually having some mixture of white and black. The albino color morph has a yellow head, red eyes and white body. Lampropeltis, their genus name, can be translated into “shiny pelt”, referencing the snake's semi-reflective scales .

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Roaring Brook Nature Center has an albino California kingsnake living in their auditorium.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Chilean Rose-Hair Tarantula
(Grammostola rosea)

Identification: Large, terrestrial spiders with reddish “hairs”.

Diet: Insects including crickets, grasshoppers,

Habitat: Desert.

Range: South America

Notes: These large, placid spiders are one of the most commonly kept beginner tarantulas due to their docile temperaments. They are not often easily excited. They are often fed crickets in captivity. Rose-Hairs are not demanding in their food requirements, a few crickets every few days, though they do require dry, warm tanks. Nevertheless all exotic pets have specific requirements and are not good choices for most people. They are named for their home in the Atacama desert in Chile. Compared to some more exotic tarantulas they are relatively easy to care for. Like all tarantulas they have large fangs capable of injecting venom but the Rose Hair's is relatively mild. Another important tarantula defense are its urticating hairs; barbed, nettle-like hairs found on its abdomen which it will flick at potential threats (usually in the face and eyes of predators like coatimundi). Rose-hair tarantulas are sexually dimorphic; with the female typically having darker coloration. Roaring Brook's tarantula is a male.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: A Chilean Rose-Hair Tarantula can be seen in Roaring Brook's Auditorium.

Chinchilla
(Chinchilla sp.)

Identification: Grey, round, rabbit-like mammals with bushy tails.

Diet: Alfalfa, vegetables, leaves, pellets, insects, fruit.

Habitat: Mountains

Range: Central and South America

Notes: Chinchillas have incredibly soft, dense fur with short hairs. They have long bushy tails. Chinchilla fur cannot get wet as it allows fungus to grow in it. Their fur is incredibly dense; they have over twenty thousand hairs per square centimeter. Chinchillas take dust baths to clean their fur. They are very energetic and easily excited. Chinchillas are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. Chinchillas are sexually dimorphic, male chinchillas are smaller than females. Chinchillas live in large groups. Chinchillas are intelligent and are becoming popular pets.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Roaring Brook Nature Center has a Chinchilla named Gizmo.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Black corn snake

Corn Snake
(Elaphe guttata)

Identification: Medium-sized variably colored snakes. They are often red and yellow. Can grow to be four to six feet in length.

Diet: Small rodents i.e. mice and rats.

Habitat: Corn Snakes can live in a variety of habitats, though they are usually found in somewhat forested areas that are often near water.

Range: Southern New England south to Florida, west to Colorado.

Notes: Corn snakes are commonly kept as pet snakes due to their attractive coloration, reasonable size, and relative ease of care. Also, due to their willingness to be bred in captivity, corn snakes are relatively inexpensive. Corn snakes are also valued for their large range of colors. Nevertheless all exotic pets have specific requirements and are not good choices for most people. Corn snakes are a small, relatively docile rat snake, and their calmness adds to their appeal. They are also long-lived, sometimes exceeding twenty years of age with proper care. Wild corn snakes will try to mimic rattlesnake behavior to scare off potential predators, but they are not venomous. Corn snakes are fairly arboreal. The name corn snake may originate from their pattern's resemblance to Indian corn or from their cornfield hunting grounds. Corn snakes are mainly active at night, and will often conceal themselves during the day.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: A corn snake lives in Roaring Brook's auditorium.

Death's Head Cockroach
(Blaberrus crannifer)

Identification: Large, oval bugs. These cockroaches can be identified by the face-shaped marking on the back of their “necks”.

Diet: Smaller insects

Habitat: Forest

Range: South and Central America

Notes: These animals are very hardy and require very little specialized care. They are easy to keep, maintain and breed and are thusly often used as meals for larger animals. These animals are named for the marking on the back of their “neck” that somewhat resembles a smiling human face with large fangs(a vampire/ demon/ skull = death's head). The Discoid cockroach (also known as the false death's head cockroach) looks like the death's head cockroach but does not have as clear a vampire marking and is browner in color. The Discoids (Blaberus discoidalis) are from South America. These cockroaches are even larger and hardier than the true death's head cockroaches, and usually cost less. In addition to the Madagascan Hissing Cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa) the two aforementioned cockroaches are among the most commonly kept species of cockroach. They are both also valued for their appearance and difficulty climbing glass (less likely to escape than the Madagascans). They are also usually perceived as not being foul-smelling. These species are known to hybridize and produce very fertile offspring.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: (Currently not on display)

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Green Anole
(Anolis carolinesis)

Identification: Small (5-7 inch) green lizards, green anoles have long, triangular snouts(as opposed to the blunt snouts of brown anoles).

Diet: Small insects like flies, moths and even small beetles.

Habitat: Highly arboreal, green anoles are usually found on or near trees.

Range: Virginia, Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida.

Notes: Often called chameleons for their ability to change colors, anoles are actually more closely related to iguanas. Brown anoles imported from Cuba have displaced some of the southeastern U.S. native green anoles in their native ranges. Green anoles take vitamin D 3 from the sun. Green anoles are capable of autotomy, or the release of their tail to distract potential predators while they make their escape. Males have dewlaps (flaps of skin protruding from their necks) used in territorial and mating displays. Usually their dewlaps are red. Males also do territorial “push ups” to attempt to establish supremacy. Larger males are more dominant. Because green anoles are easy to capture and cheap to ship they are among the most commonly kept and easily available pet lizards. Anoles have clawed fingers that make climbing rough surfaces fairly easy. Green anole males also have a ridge down their back known as a “roach” used in territorial displays. Green anole coloration depends on emotional condition, camouflage, and temperature. In warmer temperatures green anoles tend to be greener. In colder temperatures green anoles tend to be brown. Anole skin is shed in flakes.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: The green anole at Roaring Brook Nature Center can be found in the auditorium.

- James T. Dowling-Healey

Pueblan Milk Snake
(Lampropeltis triangulum)

Identification: Medium-sized snakes with alternating red, yellow and black rings, with the red rings touching the black rings.

Diet: Rodents, snakes, eggs, frogs, birds.

Habitat: Barns, fields, forests, plains, riversides, and mountains.

Range: The more than twenty various subspecies can be found around the western hemisphere.

Notes: These snakes practice batesian mimicry, a form of mimicry where they can be mistaken for the aposematic and highly venomous coral snake. They can be distinguished from the coral snake by the old rhyme “Red touches black friend of Jack, Red touches yellow kill a fellow”(This rhyme only applies to North America, it is voided elsewhere). Regardless of whether or not you know this adage, it is safer just to leave these like-colored snakes alone, a thought that has crossed many a potential predator's mind. Milk snakes are non-venomous, and they can be identified as milk snakes by the fact that their red rings touch their black rings. Milk snakes also take the extra precaution of spending much of their time hiding. Being kingsnakes they are known for eating other snakes, even venomous ones, though they are not venomous themselves. They are resistant to venom. Ophiophagy is easy due to the shape of the snakes being eaten, they fit right in. Milk snake subspecies have several different, yet similar, color variations. Milk snakes are not particularly picky eaters. Milk snakes are named for their propensity for living in barns which, for the snakes, equals a cool, dark and open space with plenty of cover. Due to this domicile of choice people erroneously thought that Milk snakes drank cow's milk, hence their name.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: On display in the auditorium.

Rainbow Boa
(Epicrates cenchria)

Identification: Medium-sized orange boid with brown markings.

Diet: Rodents and birds.

Habitat: Rainforest

Range: South America

Notes: Rainbow Boas are also known as slender boas. There are several subspecies of this serpent, though they rarely interbreed due to their isolated communities. Although they are a relatively common pet boid, their size and care requirements mean that they are not a good choice as a pet for most people. It is considered a primitive snake. Like many other snakes it uses its vomeronasal or Jacobsen's organ to “taste” the air around it by flicking its tongue. Rainbow boas are constrictors, they asphyxiate their prey instead of using venom. They are primarily nocturnal. Rainbow boas give birth to live young. Rainbow boas gain their name from the iridescent quality their scales possess. People often buy the young ones because they think they are pretty. Unfortunately owners soon find their large size to be too much to handle.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Roaring Brook Nature Center has a rainbow boa named Pele living in their auditorium.

Silk Worm
(Bombyx mori)

Identification: Three inch long white caterpillars.

Diet: Mulberry Leaves

Habitat: Formerly Deciduous Forest, now Domesticated.

Range: China

Notes: These pale worms eat mulberry leaves which they then turn into silk. The silk fibers they produce are used to make silk, a fine fabric. Silk was one of China's major exports. No outsiders were able to produce silk until it was smuggled out of the country. It is domesticated. They are caterpillars, not worms. As they are caterpillars they have voracious appetites, eating mulberry leaves constantly. The metamorphosed moths are worthless to silk producers, so silk worms are boiled after they enter their silk cocoons. If they emerged they would destroy their silk cocoon.

At Roaring Brook Nature Center: Each spring, Roaring Brook Nature Center has a number of silkworms on display in the auditorium.

- James T. Dowling-Healey