In 2009, for some reason, I found more black-necked garternskaes, Thamnophis cyrtopsis, than I’ve seen in all years previous combined. Most were in predictable locations, but a few were the last thing I thought I’d find, being several miles from the nearest reliable source of water.
Here are a few.
![Gartersnake in Arizona](http://fieldherper.com/fieldherper/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/T-cyrtopsis-6-081609.jpg)
![Blacknecked Gartersnake](http://fieldherper.com/fieldherper/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/T-cyrtopsis-5-081609.jpg)
![Thamnophis cyrtopsis](http://fieldherper.com/fieldherper/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/T-cyrtopsis-4-081609.jpg)
![Garter Snake](http://fieldherper.com/fieldherper/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/T-cyrtopsis-3-081609.jpg)
![Garter Snake in Arizona](http://fieldherper.com/fieldherper/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/T-cyrtopsis-2-081609.jpg)
![There is a snake in there; can you see it?](http://fieldherper.com/fieldherper/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/T-cyrtopsis-1-081609.jpg)
Tags: black necked garter, garter snakes, Gartersnake, Thamnophis cyrtophis