By Kathy Raines
Special to the PARADE
We lifted a small log, one with critter-enticing voids and cracks, exposing an expected assortment of busy creatures—beetles, ants, silverfish and roly-poly’s. But, amid them, to my surprise, squirmed a dark, glossy worm. What is an earthworm doing in a Harlingen yard in this arid climate? I thought. I rarely see worms here.
Soon, though, it dawned on me that this smooth, unsegmented creature was no worm, but a blind snake. Fond of such, my granddaughter and I exulted. Peering under this log on spring days, we often uncovered this serpent, or its cousin, wriggling, until, understandably perturbed, it sidewinded beneath the fence or eased its way beneath a blanket of dirt.
Now that we’ve settled into summer heat and drought, this fossorial, or burrowing, snake has opted to remain underground, tunneling through leaf litter and soil in its quest for wee creatures—especially ants and termites, their larvae and pupae. Its skinny head, blunt nose, firm skull and smooth body facilitate this operation, along with a top jaw that moves independently, allowing it to easily scoop up items.
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