Queen snakes are very uncommon in Michigan, so you can imagine the excitement when several Michigan herpetologists found three of them near Fleming Creek last month. Faye Stoner, Washtenaw County Park Interpreter had seen only one here, a year ago. (“We got it in the net and I told everyone “don’t touch it – I don’t recognize what it is!” I guessed maybe it was a queen snake but now I am sure it was. “).
The Queen Snake was a great find for sure. This species was recently elevated to Special Concern status in Michigan. We currently only know of a hand full of sites that currently support Queen Snakes State-wide. Scientists think that the local population is quite healthy. They also found a brown snake, which is further indication of an excellent environment.
To view snakes, visit lovely Fleming Creek in the Botanical Gardens (http://www.lsa.umich.edu/mbg/) on Dixboro Road or further downstream in Parker Mill County Park (http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/parks_recreation/parkermill/pr_pkpm.html) on Geddes Road where you can sit in a blind to observe wildlife where the Creek joins the Huron River.