"On The Edge"

Richmond, New South Wales

In the company of Richard Wells and his friend Trevor Hawkesbury, we made a trip out to Richmond to the west of Sydney. It was a snake hunt but the weather was not exactly conducive, cold and drizzling rain. If snakes were to be found they would be found under cover, which is rather where I wondered if we should be too.

Roadside verge at Richmond	Waste ground at Richmond

We searched along roadside verges and under debris on waste ground,and we were surprisingly well rewarded for our tenacity in fairly unpleasant conditions.

We found two frogs: the Smooth toadlet (Uperoleia laevigata) and the Ornate burrowing frog (Platyplectrum ornatum),..

Smooth toadlet Uperoleia laevigata	Ornate burrowing frog Platyplectrum ornatum

three species of skinks: the ubiquitous Dark-flecked garden skink (Lampropholis delicata), Eastern ctenotus (Ctenotus robustus) and Copper-tailed ctenotus (C.taeniolatus) and...

Dark-flecked garden skink, Lampropholis delicata
Eastern ctenotus, Ctenotus robustus
Copper-tailed ctenotus, Ctenotus taeniolatus

we found two species of snakes. Four Eastern yellow-cheeked whipsnakes (Demansia psammophis psammophis), adults and juveniles, and a specimen in slough,but the best find were two juvenile Red-bellied blacksnakes (Pseudechis porphyriacus).

Juvenile Eastern Yellow-cheeked whipsnake, Demansia psammophis psammophis	Adult Eastern Yellow-cheeked whipsnake, Demansia psammophis psammophis
Adult Eastern Yellow-cheeked whipsnake, Demansia psammophis psammophis in slough
Juvenile Red-bellied blacksnake, Pseudechis porphyriacus

Under some bark on the ground I found a Red and black spider (Nicodamus bicolor), a close relative of the highly venomous Red-back spider (Latrodectus hasselti).

Red and black spider, Nicodamus bicolor

All in all it has been a successful herping trip to Richmond, but none of the footage shot made the final film.