Hibernacula and summer den sites of pine snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus) in the New Jersey Pine Barrens

Abstract

Temperatures at the soil surface and at 10 cm depth were significantly warmer, and there was less leaf cover around the random points compared to the entrances of the hibernacula and summer dens. Hibernacula had significantly more vegetation cover within 5 m, more leaf cover over the burrow entrance, and were closer to trees than were summer dens. Most hibernacula and summer dens were beside old fallen logs (73%), the entrance tunnels following decaying roots into the soil. Most hibernacula appeared to have been dug by the snakes and had an average of 8 side chambers and 642 cm of tunnels, compared to <1 side chamber and 122 cm of tunnels for summer dens. Except for hatchlings, most snakes in hibernacula were located in individual chambers off the main tunnel; all snakes were at depths of 50-111 cm. -from Authors