Factors Influencing Eastern Kingsnake Diel Activity

Abstract

We used radio-telemetry to identify diel activity patterns in the Eastern Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula getula in Southwestern Georgia. We monitored tagged snakes at four time periods within a 24-hour cycle (0800–1359 h, 1400–1959 h, 2000–0159 h, and 0200–0759 h) in spring, summer, and fall (March–November), which comprise the annual activity period for Eastern Kingsnakes in this region. We used a logistic regression approach to identify specific environmental factors that best predicted Eastern Kingsnake movement. We found Eastern Kingsnakes were primarily active during the day (χ2 = 34.10, P < 0.001, n = 452) in the spring (χ2 = 6.25, P < 0.04, n = 474) and activity was best predicted by air temperature, soil temperature, relative humidity, and light intensity. Our observations differed from anecdotal descriptions of nocturnal activity and seasonal shifts in diel activity patterns in Eastern Kingsnakes.