Gomez and Feriche (2019) report a Montpellier Snake, Malpolon monspessulanus, capturing a butterfly while in flight. Some lizards leap into the air to capture flying insects, and some snakes capture airborne prey (bats) during sit-and wait maneuvers from suitable perches. However, there are no literature references to active flycatching as a foraging behavior among fully terrestrial snake species. On 23 May 2004 at 14:20 hours, the authors observed from a distance of approximately eight meters a male Montpellier Snake (about 110 cm long) moving slowly in the typical active-foraging mode for this species. The anterior portion of the snake’s body was elevated, in this case over grass with a height of about 30 cm, when a large and unidentified low-flying lepidopteron appeared in sight approximately three meters from the snake. The snake actively focused upon and pursued this flying prey for approximately 30 seconds, pointing its head toward it, until the lepidopteran was successfully captured in mid-air. The prey was swallowed within less than 10 seconds. After the capture, the snake departed from the grassland patch, at which time it was photographed.
Gómez JM, Feriche M. 2019. Flycatching foraging behavior by the montpellier snake, Malpolon monspessulanus. BoletÃn de la Asociación Herpetológica Española. 30(2):8-10.
Photo courtesy of Diego Delso, delso.photo, License CC-BY-SA. A Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), Nigüella, Zaragoza, Spain.
