Rat Snake Research Articles

Emergence of genetic diversity of Enterocytozoon bieneusi from snakes in China

Enterocytozoon bieneusi belongs to the phylum Microsporidia, a parasite reported to infect various domestic animals, wildlife and humans, thereby causing an intestinal disease characterized by severe or chronic diarrhea and malabsorption. The typical mode of transmission is contaminated water and food. Few studies on E. bieneusi infections have been reported in reptiles, however, our report focuses on the molecular characterization of E. bieneusi infection in snakes in China. We collected a total of 603 fecal samples from snakes in China. The samples were tested for the presence of E. bieneusi through PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) locus. Our analysis showed E. bieneusi overall prevalence rate of 15.59 %, the highest prevalence was recorded in Eastern rat snake (21.99 %), followed by Corn snake (19.63 %) while the prevalence of 18.39 %, 15.79 %, 13.56 % were recorded in Common garter snake, Pine snake, Hognose snake respectively. Eastern kingsnake has the lowest infection rate of 5.71 %. Genotype analysis identified 26 distinct genotypes: 8 known and 18 novel. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 25 genotypes belonged to Group 1, which includes isolates from various animal hosts and humans. However, genotype GX29 was classified under Group 9. Our study indicates that pet snakes are one of the potential sources of transmission of zoonotic microsporidiosis in China.

Evaluating deterrents to reduce depredation of wood duck eggs in nest boxes

AbstractWood ducks (Aix sponsa) are secondary natural cavity‐nesting species that also nest in artificial nest boxes. Since the early 20th century, nest boxes have been widely deployed in North America to increase nesting sites for wood ducks and bolster production. Equipping nest boxes with a predator guard beneath the box is a common practice to deter climbing predators from accessing boxes; however, there is no device to repel avian predators. We found that eastern rat snakes (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) and woodpeckers (Picidae) were primary predators of wood duck eggs in boxes in North Carolina and South Carolina. Accordingly, we designed experiments to deter snakes and woodpeckers using a commercial brand of snake repellent pellets and a plastic raptor decoy, respectively. Male and female snakes that accessed boxes averaged 1.4 m (SE = 2.0 cm) in length. Digital camera data indicated that snakes climbed nest box posts and thrust their anterior body atop predator guards to continue their ascent into the box. We recorded 671 nest failures of which rat snakes accounted for 39.9% (n = 268) and woodpeckers 22.4% (n = 150). Snakes consumed ≥649 eggs, observed as protuberances in their stomachs. Our experiment showed that commercial snake repellent pellets did not deter snakes (P = 0.957). Placing a plastic hawk decoy atop nest boxes when females were incubating ≥12 days increased nest survival during the incubation stage (P = 0.001). Wood duck nest boxes at our study sites may be experiencing increased nest predation by rat snakes due to poor maintenance and installation of predator guards. Rat snakes and woodpeckers may be depredating wood duck eggs in the southeastern United States at unknown rates, potentially decreasing production and recruitment from these structures.

Embryonic development and cranial ossification of the Japanese Aodaishō, Elaphe climacophora (Serpentes: Colubridae): with special reference to the prootic bone and auditory evolution in snakes.

Snakes show remarkably deviated "body plan" from other squamate reptiles. In addition to limb loss, they have accomplished enormous anatomical specialization of the skull associated with the pit organs and the reduction of the tympanic membranes and auditory canals in the outer ears. Despite being the most diverse group of snakes, our knowledge of the embryonic staging for organogenesis and cranial ossification has been minimal for Colubridae. Therefore, in the present observation, we provide the first embryonic description of the Japanese rat snake Elaphe climacophora. We based our study on the Standard Event System (SES) for external anatomical characters and on a description of the cranial ossification during post-ovipositional development. We further estimated the relative ossification timing of each cranial bony element and compared it with that of selected other snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodilians. The present study shows that the relative ossification timing of the palatine and pterygoid bones is relatively early in squamates when compared to other reptiles, implying the developmental integration as the palate-pterygoid complex in this clade and functional demands for the unique feeding adaptation to swallow large prey with the help of their large palatine and pterygoid teeth. Furthermore, unlike in species with pit organs, the prootic bone of Ela. climacophora is expanded to provide articulation with the supratemporal, thereby contributing to the hearing system by detecting substrate vibration. We also demonstrate that the relative timing of the prootic ossification is significantly accelerated in colubrids compared to snakes with pit organs. Our finding suggests that the temporal changes of the prootic ossification underpin the evolution of the perception of the ground-bourne sound signals among snakes.

Dietary habits of fishing cats in a human-dominated wetland in Coastal Thailand

Abstract. Wongson T, Khaewphakdee S, Mongkonsin W, Serieys LEK, Wong W-M, Yindee M, Pattanarangsan R, Suksavate W, Promkuntod P, Klakhaeng C, Sukmasuang R. 2024. Dietary habits of fishing cats in a human-dominated wetland in Coastal Thailand. Biodiversitas 25: 2788-2797. Fishing cats, intimately connected to wetland habitats, face an escalating threat from human activities and environmental change. With its significant findings, this study offers a comprehensive insight into the dietary habits of fishing cats in a human-dominated wetland in coastal Thailand. By examining the scats of 192 fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus Bennett 1833) and the remains of 328 prey items, we detailed the fishing cat's diet and assessed its seasonality. Consequently, we identified 16 prey species consumed by fishing cats during the study period. The primary prey was fish, followed by rodents, birds, Indo-Chinese rat snakes (Ptyas korros (Hermann Schlegel 1837)), insects, crabs, and snails. The most crucial prey was the climbing perch (Anabas testudineus Bloch 1792) (n=69), followed by bandicoot rats (Bandicota indica Bechstein, 1800) (n=54), domestic chicken (Gallus gallus Linnaeus 1758) (n=48), and snakehead murrel (Channa striata Bloch 1793) (n=38). The niche breadth index indicated the highest specialization during the summer, while the dietary diversity index was 0.44, 0.52, and 0.38 during the summer, rainy, and winter seasons, respectively. Seasonal variations in dietary composition were not statistically significant. The niche overlap index was 0.95 between the summer and the rainy season, 0.91 between the rainy season and winter, and 0.87 between the summer and winter. These findings, with their direct implications for the conservation of fishing cats, highlight the urgent need for effective land-use management in species preservation.

Presence of the Pacific coast parrot snake Leptophis diplotropis Günther, 1872 and the green rat snake Senticolis triaspis Cope, 1886 (Squamata: Colubridae) in a Protected Natural Area of ​​Sierra Surutato, Sinaloa, Mexico

The addition of the “Pacific coast parrot snake” Leptophis diplotropis and the “green rat snake” Senticolis triaspis to the herpetofaunal diversity in a Protected Natural Area of ​​Sierra Surutato, Sinaloa, Mexico is presented.

Sexual dimorphism and reproductive biology of commercially harvested oriental rat snakes (Ptyas mucosa: Colubridae) from West Java

Large (>3 m) slender-bodied rat snakes are abundant in agroecosystems of southern Asia and are heavily exploited for their skins and meat. We examined 216 specimens killed at commercial facilities in Cirebon, West Java, to quantify morphological and reproductive traits and evaluate harvest sustainability by comparing this sample to one taken 25 years previously. The snakes we examined were mostly adults, and mostly male. Females were less heavy-bodied than males of the same body length, matured at a larger size than males, but attained smaller maximum sizes. Reproduction and energy (fatbody) storage was seasonal in both sexes, with females containing oviductal eggs primarily during the annual wet season. Clutch size averaged 12.6 eggs and increased with maternal body size. Comparison of the two samples taken 25 years apart revealed strong similarity in sex ratio, the numerical preponderance of adults, body sizes at sexual maturation and mean adult body sizes, sexual dimorphism in body length and mass, reproductive seasonality in females, mean fecundity, and the relationship between fecundity and maternal body size. That consistency suggests that commercial harvesting over the intervening period has not affected the biological traits of rat snake populations, consistent with a sustainable level of offtake.

The first record of the rarely observed rat snake, Elaphe urartica Jablonski et al., 2019 (Squamata, Colubridae) for Iraq

The Urartian rat snake, Elaphe urartica Jablonski, Kukushkin, Avcı, Bunyatova, Ilgaz, Tuniyev & Jandzik, 2019, is a recently described species within the genus Elaphe, found in eastern Anatolia, Caucasian region and the northern Middle East. It stands as one of the rarely observed snake species, with its distribution and other aspects of natural history largely unexplored. This is particularly true for the territories of Iraq and Iran. Therefore, we report on the presence of the species in Iraq, the first documented evidence of the species’ distribution within the country. In conjunction with this record, we provide initial data regarding the species’ habitat and ecology in the region. The distribution record presented here is further supplemented by a new species record from the border regions between Iraq and Iran, encouraging further herpetological exploration within the Zagros Mountains.

A cyst-forming coccidian with large geographical range infecting forest and commensal rodents: Sarcocystis muricoelognathis sp. nov.

BackgroundThe geographic distribution and host-parasite interaction networks of Sarcocystis spp. in small mammals in eastern Asia remain incompletely known.MethodsExperimental infections, morphological and molecular characterizations were used for discrimination of a new Sarcocystis species isolated from colubrid snakes and small mammals collected in Thailand, Borneo and China.ResultsWe identified a new species, Sarcocystis muricoelognathis sp. nov., that features a relatively wide geographic distribution and infects both commensal and forest-inhabiting intermediate hosts. Sarcocystis sporocysts collected from rat snakes (Coelognathus radiatus, C. flavolineatus) in Thailand induced development of sarcocysts in experimental SD rats showing a type 10a cyst wall ultrastructure that was identical with those found in Rattus norvegicus from China and the forest rat Maxomys whiteheadi in Borneo. Its cystozoites had equal sizes in all intermediate hosts and locations, while sporocysts and cystozoites were distinct from other Sarcocystis species. Partial 28S rRNA sequences of S. muricoelognathis from M. whiteheadi were largely identical to those from R. norvegicus in China but distinct from newly sequenced Sarcocystiszuoi. The phylogeny of the nuclear 18S rRNA gene placed S. muricoelognathis within the so-called S. zuoi complex, including Sarcocystisattenuati, S. kani, S. scandentiborneensis and S. zuoi, while the latter clustered with the new species. However, the phylogeny of the ITS1-region confirmed the distinction between S. muricoelognathis and S. zuoi. Moreover, all three gene trees suggested that an isolate previously addressed as S. zuoi from Thailand (KU341120) is conspecific with S. muricoelognathis. Partial mitochondrial cox1 sequences of S. muricoelognathis were almost identical with those from other members of the group suggesting a shared, recent ancestry. Additionally, we isolated two partial 28S rRNA Sarcocystis sequences from Low’s squirrel Sundasciurus lowii that clustered with those of S. scandentiborneensis from treeshews.ConclusionsOur results provide strong evidence of broad geographic distributions of rodent-associated Sarcocystis and host shifts between commensal and forest small mammal species, even if the known host associations remain likely only snapshots of the true associations.Graphical

Mating System and Behavior of Steppe Rat Snake (<i>Elaphe dione</i>) in South Korea

The mating system affects the animal’s mating behavior, operational sex ratio (OSR), and the genetic information of paternity. It is generally known that many species in the order Serpent accept polyandry. We observed the mating behavior of steppe rat snakes three times from April 1 until September 30, 2020. In all cases, the sex ratio participating in mating was one female and two or more males. Moreover, in two cases, two males were observed to insert their hemipenes into one female’s cloaca at the same time, which was a unique finding. It was concluded that steppe rat snakes would be highly likely to adopt polyandry, a common mating system of snakes. It will be possible to understand the exact mating system of steppe rat snakes by conducting behavioral genetic studies on them.

An outbreak of Providencia rettgeri bacteremia at a Ptyas mucosus farm in Hainan, China.

To describe the histopathology and etiology of an outbreak of respiratory disease at a Ptyas mucosus farm in Hainan, China. The etiology was confirmed by gross examination and microscopic analysis. The bacterial isolates from blood and internal organs were identified by biochemical analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The virulence and antibiotic resistance characteristics of the isolates were further demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), disk diffusion testing, and LD50 analysis in Kunming mice. Histopathological analysis of the diseased P. mucosus revealed systemic lesions, including severe airway obstruction with large numbers of inflammatory cells and cellulose exudates in the lungs; severe multifocal hepatocyte vacuolar degeneration and necrosis in the liver with excessive inflammatory exudates and chronic granuloma; splenic hemorrhage and partial loss of splenic structure; and renal vascular and interstitial congestion. Providencia rettgeri was isolated from the blood and multiple internal organs (liver, spleen, kidneys, and lungs). All examined isolates (H1, H4, and H13) were multidrug-resistant but sensitive to four antibiotics-cefepime, imipenem, chloramphenicol, and ciprofloxacin. Both H1 and H4 carried five resistance genes [bla OXA, tet(A), tet(B), tet(E), and aac (3)-IIa], whereas H13 only carried the tet(A) gene. The dominant virulence pattern of the three isolates was hlyA + ZapA + luxS + rsbA. The virulence of H1 strain was tested, and its 50% lethal dose (LD50) in mice was 2.29 × 108 CFU ml-1. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe an outbreak of bacteremia caused by P. rettgeri in farmed rat snakes. The results highlight that P. rettgeri is an emerging bacterial pathogen in farmed reptiles.

Detection of Spargana on Ptyas korros in Sidoarjo

Ptyas korros or Indo-China Rat Snake is one of the snakes that are commonly hunted in Indonesia. This study aimed to identify Spirometra sp. on P. korros in Sidoarjo. A total of 18 snakes were collected within 3 months. Identification of Spirometra sp. was done using a native method, Semichen Acetic Carmine, and HE staining. As a results, 8 (44.4%) of 18 samples showed positive infection with Spirometra sp. The results of this study indicate the presence of spargana in P. korros in Sidoarjo and no adult Spirometra sp. was found.

Biodiversity of Snakes During Monsoon in Bhadrawati, District Chandrapur (M.S.) India

Abstract: The snakes are the most feared reptiles on the earth, and inhabit the most inhospitable terrains of the world including dry lands, wetland and all the possible areas. The Bhadrawati region is having a large number snakes since ancient times and the name itself suggest that there are snakes in this region. So in order to assess biodiversity of snakes in the Bhadrawati region snakes were studied during monsoon season. Snakes plays important ecological role in food chain. Depletion of these animals throughout the globe and their extinction is causing a conscientious and diligent task to the people of all spheres of the society to conserve them. Species wise concentration of snakes was estimated to predict proportion of particular snake species in the region. In all near about 300 snakes were captured in the rainy season which include 246 non poisonous 53 poisonous and 01 semi poisonous type during monsoon season of 2022. Common Indian Cobra Naja naja is poisonous and Indian rat snakes among non poisonous and only one species of semi poisonous i.e. common cat snakes were found to be predominant in the region. The studies indicate prevalence of snakes in the region

Predicting the Potential Distribution of the Szechwan Rat Snake (Euprepiophis perlacea) and Its Response to Climate Change in the Yingjing Area of the Giant Panda National Park.

Climate change is a significant driver of changes in the distribution patterns of species and poses a threat to biodiversity, potentially resulting in species extinctions. Investigating the potential distribution of rare and endangered species is crucial for understanding their responses to climate change and for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem management. The Szechwan rat snake (Euprepiophis perlacea) is an endemic and endangered species co-distributed with giant pandas, and studying its potential distribution contributes to a better understanding of the distribution pattern of endangered species. In this study, we confirmed seven presence points of this species in the Yingjing Area of the Giant Panda National Park, and selected eleven key factors to predict the potential distribution of E. perlacea under current and future scenarios using MaxEnt models. Our study consistently achieved AUC values exceeding 0.79, meeting the precision requirements of the models. The results indicated that the high potential distribution area of E. perlacea is mainly located near Yunwu mountain and the giant panda rewilding and reintroduction base, accounting for approximately 12% of the protected area. Moreover, we identified the primary environmental factors influencing the distribution of E. perlacea as the distance from streams and the slope degree, with their contribution rates exceeding 41% and 31%, respectively. In comparison to the current scenario, the potential habitat range for E. perlacea did not show an overall reduction in the context of future climate scenarios. To ensure the long-term preservation of E. perlacea, it is advisable to validate its actual distribution based on the models' results. Particular attention should be given to safeguarding its core distribution areas and raising awareness among residents within the potential distribution range about the conservation of E. perlacea.

The genome assembly and annotation of the Oriental rat snake Ptyas mucosa.

The Oriental rat snake Ptyas mucosa is a common non-venomous snake of the colubrid family, spanning most of South and Southeast Asia. P.mucosa is widely bred for its uses in traditional medicine, scientific research, and handicrafts. Therefore, genome resources of P.mucosa could play an important role in the efficacy of traditional medicine and the analysis of the living environment of this species. Here, we present a highly continuous P.mucosa genome with a size of 1.74Gb. Its scaffold N50 length is 9.57Mb, and the maximal scaffold length is 78.3Mb. Its CG content is 37.9%, and its gene integrity reaches 86.6%. Assembled using long-reads, the total length of the repeat sequences in the genome reaches 735Mb, and its repeat content is 42.19%. Finally, 24,869 functional genes were annotated in this genome. This study may assist in understanding P.mucosa and supporting medicinal research.

Novel and legacy brominated flame retardants in snakes and frogs: Tissue distribution, biomagnification, and maternal transfer

Although many studies have examined polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) in biota, information on the bioaccumulation characteristics of NBFRs from field works is limited. This study investigated the tissue-specific exposure to PBDEs and NBFRs in two reptilian (short-tailed mamushi and red-backed rat snake) and one amphibian species (black-spotted frog) prevalent in the Yangtze River Delta, China. The levels of ΣPBDEs and ΣNBFRs ranged from 4.4–250 and 2.9–22 ng/g lipid weight for snakes respectively and 2.9–120 and 7.1–97 ng/g lipid weight for frogs respectively. BDE-209, BDE-154, and BDE-47 were three major PBDE congeners while decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) dominated in NBFRs. Tissue burdens indicated that snake adipose was the major storage site of PBDEs and NBFRs. The biomagnification factors (BMFs) estimated from black-spotted frog to red-backed rat snake indicated the biomagnification of penta- to nona-BDE congeners (BMFs 1.1–4.0) but the lack of biomagnification of other BDE and all NBFR congeners (BMFs 0.16–0.78). Mother to egg transfer of PBDEs and NBFRs evaluated in frogs showed that maternal transfer efficiency was positively related to chemical lipophilicity. This is the first field study on the tissue distribution of NBFRs in reptiles and amphibians and the maternal transfer behavior of 5 major NBFRs. The results underline the bioaccumulation potential of alternative NBFRs.

New host records of the reptile tick Amblyomma helvolum Koch (Ixodida: Ixodidae: Amblyomminae) in Taiwan

Amblyomma helvolum Koch is an Asiatic reptile-associated tick that usually inhabits tropical forests and is primarily parasitic on varanids, skinks, and snakes. In Taiwan, A. helvolum has been reported on Elaphe carinata (Taiwan stink snake) and Ptyas mucosa (Oriental rat snake). Herein, we report new host records of A. helvolum in Taiwan from the following squamate species: Diploderma swinhonis (Swinhoe's japalure), Eutropis longicaudata (Long-tailed sun skink), Oligodon formosanus (Taiwan kukri), Sphenomorphus incognitus (Brown forest skink), and Trimeresurus stejnegeri (Chinese green tree viper). In addition, we present an overview of the distribution of A. helvolum across its range and its association with reptilian microbial agents.

Central projections of auditory nerve fibers in the western rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus).

Despite the absence of tympanic middle ears, snakes can hear. They are thought to primarily detect substrate vibration via connections between the lower jaw and the inner ear. We used the western rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus) to determine how vibration is processed in the brain. We measured vibration-evoked potential recordings to reveal sensitivity to low-frequency vibrations. We then used tract tracing combined with immunohistochemistry and Nissl staining to describe the central projections of the papillar branch of the VIIIth nerve. Applications of biotinylated dextran amine to the basilar papilla (homologous to the organ of Corti of mammals) labeled bouton-like terminals in two first-order cochlear nuclei, a rostrolateral nucleus angularis (NA) and a caudomedial nucleus magnocellularis (NM). NA formed a distinct dorsal eminence, consisted of heterogenous cell types, and was parvalbumin positive. NM was smaller and poorly separated from the surrounding vestibular nuclei. NM was distinguished by positive calbindin label and included fusiform and round cells. Thus, the atympanate western rat snake shares similar first-order projections to tympanate reptiles. Auditory pathways may be used for detecting vibration, not only in snakes but also potentially in atympanate early tetrapods.

First report of pentastomiasis and the lung histopathological changes in Oriental Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa) in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia

Abstract. Plumeriastuti H, Pranashinta GT, Suwanti LT, Proboningrat A, Kusnoto. 2023. First report of pentastomiasis and the lung histopathological changes in Oriental Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa) in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 2045-2051. Currently, reptiles, especially snakes, are increasingly popular as pets worldwide and are often consumed by several communities in Indonesia. This trend needs attention from a public health perspective because it can potentially cause zoonotic diseases, including parasitic disease such as pentastomiasis. This study aimed to determine: the prevalence of pentastomiasis, identify the parasite and observe the pulmonary histopathology in Oriental Rat Snakes (Ptyas mucosa Linnaeus 1758) collected in Tulangan, Sidoarjo, Indonesia. The methods used were calculating the prevalence of pentastomiasis, semichen-acetic carmine staining, and identifying parasites and eggs based on references as a comparison. Furthermore, histopathological preparation and hematoxylin-eosin staining were performed on the lungs infected with the parasite to observe the microscopic lesions. The results showed that 65% of the snakes had pentastomiasis, and the parasites were called Kiricephalus pattoni Stephens 1908. Furthermore, a microscopical examination revealed mild fibrosis in the pulmonary area due to pentastomid infestation. This study is the first reported pentastomida in P. mucosain Sidoarjo, Indonesia, showing that snakes caught and commonly consumed were infected with zoonotic pentastomic.

Differences in the luminal and mucosal gut microbiomes and metabolomes of oriental rat snake (Ptyas mucosus).

Previous studies regarding the gastrointestinal biogeography of microbiomes generally focused on longitudinal comparisons, whereas few studies have compared luminal and mucosal microbiomes. Investigations of the snake gut microbiome have attracted interest because of the unique digestive physiology and hibernation behavior, but adequate sampling methods must be developed. Here, we used an omics approach combining 16S rRNA gene sequencing with untargeted metabolomics to profile the luminal and mucosal gut microbiomes and metabolomes in oriental rat snakes, with the goal of revealing the heterogeneity and co-occurrence at these sites. The α-diversity of the gut microbiome was significantly higher at mucosal sites than at luminal sites. Microbial composition also differed according to sampling site, with significant differences in the abundances of dominant phyla and genera, as well as β-diversity clustering and distribution. Metabolome profiling revealed differences that were mainly related to cholinergic substances and nucleic acids. Analysis of variations in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functions of microbes and metabolites showed that the mucosal microbiome was more frequently involved in genetic information processing and cellular processes, whereas the luminal microbiome generally participated in metabolic regulation. Notably, we found a greater abundance of the opportunistic pathogen genus Escherichia-Shigella at luminal sites and higher levels of the lipid-regulator metabolite fenfluramine at mucosal sites. Despite the extensive differences between the two sampling sites, the results revealed similarities in terms of amplicon sequence variant composition and dominant core microbes. This pilot exploration of luminal and mucosal microbiomes and metabolites provides key insights to guide future research. KEY POINTS: • Snake luminal and mucosal microbiota was distinct in composition and function. • Metabolome profiling revealed differences related to different metabolites. • The pathogenic microbes are more likely to colonize the gut lumina.

A simple trail camera modification reveals red-bellied woodpeckers as important egg predators of box-nesting wood ducks

Artificial nesting structures have been used to aid the recovery and maintenance of certain avian populations such as the wood duck (Aix sponsa). The success of nest boxes for wood ducks relies on excluding common nest predators such as raccoons (Procyon lotor) and rat snakes (Pantherophis spp.) via the use of predator guards; however, woodpeckers cannot be excluded. Red-bellied woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus) are foraging generalists and have been anecdotally observed preying on wood duck eggs where documenting predation events is difficult to accomplish through traditional nest box monitoring. Here, we used custom-modified trail cameras to document egg depredations and foraging events by red-bellied woodpeckers and the removal of damaged eggs by wood ducks during the laying and incubation periods. We captured 35,686 videos and documented 1173 different events consisting of 608 (51.8%) videos of red-bellied woodpeckers and 565 (48.2%) of wood ducks. We determined 38 (30.6%) eggs were depredated during the laying period and 14 (11.3%) during incubation. Wood ducks removed 23 (60.5%) eggs depredated during the laying period and 13 (92.9%) depredated during incubation. We found no difference in the daily number of times red-bellied woodpeckers visited boxes with nests in the laying or incubation period (t = −0.967, df = 14.699, P = 0.349). Red-bellied woodpeckers depredated 1.0 ± 0.2 eggs during each event and returned to forage on previously depredated eggs 5.3 ± 4.4 times each day spending 2.1 ± 1.1 min during each return. Our results suggest that red-bellied woodpeckers forage on eggs when nests are unguarded, and they have previously been under-recognized in the literature as predators of wood duck eggs. Future nest box programs should consider the impact red-bellied woodpeckers have on wood duck egg loss and nest survival.