Recent PaCE Lab alum, Dr. Andrew Jesper published the last of his dissertation chapters in a paper just released, “Fall and Spring Staging in a Refugia-Dependent Migratory Snake.”
Timber Rattlesnakes, Crotalus horridus, spend 6 months of the year in their winter refugia before migrating to their summer habitats. Dr. Jesper’s work examined the timing and conditions of their fall ingress and spring egress and found that rather than emerge and immediately disperse, or enter the refugia immediately upon arrival, they have a prolonged staging period. During the staging period they remain close to the refugia, limiting their access to resources, but likely allow them to survive variable conditions.
Ingress and egress from refugia occurred at ~15C while arrival and departure from the staging area occurred at ~19C. Thermal cues remained consistent while calendar day varied between years.
The importance of staging periods may become more important as the climate changes. Additionally it is important to protect the habitats near the refugia used during staging as it allows the flexibility necessary to survive variable weather patterns.
Read the full paper in Ecology and Evolution
Jesper, Andrew C., M.J. Dreslik, and S.A. Eckert. 2026. Fall and spring staging in a refugia-dependent migratory snake. Ecology and Evolution 16(7):e73890. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.73890