aggregation vs. population increase

Posted by Eric on July 14, 2002 at 19:39:55:

In Reply to: Any information about behavior during'population-explosions' posted by bryan denbecke on July 10, 2002 at 18:07:15:

You present an intereseting question, but I think some assumptions are being made without you knowing it. First is the assumption that there was an actual increase in the number of snakes. Just because you see a lot of snakes in one place does not mean they have increased in numbers, only that they are gathered together.

I suspect what he saw was a large group of snakes that had recently come out of hybernation and were mating before they went their separate ways. Many snakes hybernate in groups. This happens in Canada (an undoubtably many other places) with garter snakes. Thousands come out of the ground when the snow begins to melt and they get busy with the mating.

After the mating they spead out and you might think there are very few around then, compared to if you saw them comming out of the ground by the hundreds.

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: You present an intereseting question, but I think some assumptions are being made without you knowing it. First is the assumption that there was an actual increase in the number of snakes. Just because you see a lot of snakes in one place does not mean they have increased in numbers, only that they are gathered together. : I suspect what he saw was a large group of snakes that had recently come out of hybernation and were mating before they went their separate ways. Many snakes hybernate in groups. This happens in Canada (an undoubtably many other places) with garter snakes. Thousands come out of the ground when the snow begins to melt and they get busy with the mating. : After the mating they spead out and you might think there are very few around then, compared to if you saw them comming out of the ground by the hundreds.

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