By Sherry F. Pruitt

JONESBORO -- Arkansas State University graduate student Bobby Neal of Jonesboro is researching a phenomenon concerning a population of southern copperhead snakes in Yellville.

Copperheads are docile but venomous snakes with reddish-brown markings -- and until recently, they were never seen in groups.

"This is an extraordinary event that has not been documented in literature," said Dr. Stan Trauth, professor of zoology and director of the electron microscope facility at ASU.

The interest in the snakes for Chuck Miller of Yellville began when he observed copperheads moving across his property on a hilltop in an isolated, pristine area at about dusk on July 20.

"The number of copperheads on Chuck Miller's property is well beyond a movement we've seen," the professor said.

Miller saw 10 to 15 snakes the first night but had never seen so many at once in the five years that he has lived on the Marion County property, Trauth related.

The property owner, who holds a degree in biology, captured and kept alive the snakes until he could contact a herpetologist.

The Department of Biological Sciences at ASU became involved when the herpetologist contacted the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, which in turn contacted Trauth.

By the time the researcher made his way to the Yellville site, Miller had collected 60 snakes, which were taken to ASU for processing.

While a few were sacrificed for study, Trauth said, the others were scale-clipped for permanent identification. They were measured, massed, sexed and photographed before being returned to the area. Tracking devices are also secured to the snakes.

Miller didn't mind the snakes being close, but he wanted the population to be released on the outskirts of the property because he has two small children, Trauth explained.

One batch was released about 170 yards from Miller's property, and a second group was released 400 yards or one-quarter mile away, he said.

"A total of 36 were returned to the habitat," Trauth said.

About 10 of the 15 snakes from the first batch made their way back to Miller's property, which is unusual, Trauth said. The snakes were recaptured and reprocessed.

So far, only one from the second group, which was released farther away, has returned.

The copperheads are honing in on his property from various directions, but most are traveling uphill to get there.

"We don't know the source of the aggregating behavior," Trauth said. "They have shown some propensity to go toward a cedar tree on the property.

"Their behavior at the cedar tree is interesting. They rub their heads at the base and extend the their bodies," he said, adding that they are flicking their tongues all the time. "They follow one another leaving scent trails. They're following scent markings."

The event is not isolated but seems to be rare.

"There's something about their movements," Trauth said. "Why this property? Will they continue to do this?"

Though the phenomenon has been seen before, Trauth and Neal have not found another case in which there is such a large number of aggregating snakes.

"The numbers are dramatic," he stressed. "There's no good explanation as to why it's taking place."

The more word gets out, the more interest and commentary the situation generates, the professor said.

So far, articles have appeared in three Arkansas newspapers, and segments have been broadcast on three television stations.

Calls from colleagues and interested individuals with stories to tell have contacted Trauth from Indiana, Georgia and New Mexico, he said.

"This event has stirred the imagination of the people and stirred memories of the past," said Trauth, an ASU professor for 21 years.

Researchers have ruled out feeding and breeding as reasons for the aggregation event.

"The numbers thus far have shown adult males and juvenile males, plus a few juvenile females. No adult females have been found so far in over 100 snakes," Trauth explained. "We suspect adult females are in birthing dens. We expect to see females next month."

Fall movement to denning sites will begin in late September or early October.

The Arkansas State copperhead project will be underway for more than a year. Neal plans to continue to work with the snakes until hibernation and begin again in the spring.

sherry@jonesborosun.com