Terrestrial Gartersnake (Thamnophis elegans) consuming a Western Meadow Vole (Microtus drummondii) in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico.

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Bibliographic Details
Title:	Terrestrial Gartersnake (Thamnophis elegans) consuming a Western Meadow Vole (Microtus drummondii) in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico.
Authors:	Paysen, Joseph W.¹ joepaysen00@gmail.com, Huss, Peggy M.¹, Cooper, Jacob C.¹, Bernal, Lance J.², Kruse, Carter³, Geluso, Keith¹
Source:	Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences & Affiliated Societies. 2025, p139-141. 3p.
Subjects:	Garter snakes, Microtus, Omnivores
Abstract:	The Terrestrial Gartersnake (Thamnophis elegans) is a dietary generalist occurring in the western half of the United States, southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico. Terrestrial Gartersnakes are known to consume a variety of small mammals, including voles (Microtus). Herein we report on an observation of the Terrestrial Gartersnake consuming a Western Meadow Vole (Microtus drummondii). On 27 June 2025, we captured a large adult Terrestrial Gartersnake underneath a log just upstream of a North American Beaver (Castor canadensis) dam on the Vermejo River, Colfax County, New Mexico that regurgitated a partially digested adult Western Meadow Vole. Trapping in the immediate vicinity earlier that morning and elsewhere in the same watershed indicated high populations of Western Meadow Voles. Our observation of a large adult Terrestrial Gartersnake consuming an adult Western Meadow Vole likely reflects an ontogenetic diet shift toward mammals, particularly voles, observed in other studies for adult snakes of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Engineering Source

Description
Abstract:	The Terrestrial Gartersnake (Thamnophis elegans) is a dietary generalist occurring in the western half of the United States, southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico. Terrestrial Gartersnakes are known to consume a variety of small mammals, including voles (Microtus). Herein we report on an observation of the Terrestrial Gartersnake consuming a Western Meadow Vole (Microtus drummondii). On 27 June 2025, we captured a large adult Terrestrial Gartersnake underneath a log just upstream of a North American Beaver (Castor canadensis) dam on the Vermejo River, Colfax County, New Mexico that regurgitated a partially digested adult Western Meadow Vole. Trapping in the immediate vicinity earlier that morning and elsewhere in the same watershed indicated high populations of Western Meadow Voles. Our observation of a large adult Terrestrial Gartersnake consuming an adult Western Meadow Vole likely reflects an ontogenetic diet shift toward mammals, particularly voles, observed in other studies for adult snakes of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	01639013
DOI:	10.32873/unl.dc.tnas.45.8