Hi there everyone,

Our scheduled Host, Arati, had to cancel her hosting gig this month, so we have a slot available for anyone who would like to host House of Herps #8. Submissions are due by July 15th, and we would like to have the carnival up on or before July 18th.

Anyone interesssssssted?

submissions [at] houseofherps [dot] com

hosting [at] houseofherps [dot] com

After an extended and record-breaking winter, spring quickly gave way to an early summer in the Lone Star State.  We’ve already hit the century mark on the ol’ thermometer, and heat and humidity have driven sensible people into the comfort of air conditioning.  But now is the time to get out and about if you want to see herps.  You see, here in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex we’re experiencing a snake and alligator explosion.  Yes, I said alligators.

The weather over the past year has given rise to perfect conditions for snakes, but the changing climate in this part of the world has also made DFW a perfect place for alligators.

Since last summer more than eight alligators have been captured and relocated due to their nearness to schools and residential areas.  And it’s suspected that this, the largest extant alligator species, now inhabits nearly all waterways in and around the metroplex, including the lakes where people swim.  Which, as you can suspect, has made this territorial expansion fascinating for some and worrisome for others.  But seeing these crocodilians in places like Plano, Arlington, Dallas, Ft. Worth and Kaufman has made for many a smile amongst those of us who can’t get enough of these large critters.

In addition to the growing alligator presence, the number of animals (mainly pets) bitten by snakes has more than doubled in the last three months.  The weather has been perfect for our scaled, legless friends.  That means they’re out in force, roaming about in yards and parks—and even on roads and driveways.  Our many venomous species are making a grand appearance, but so are the large number of nonvenomous species.  The slithering around North Texas is nearly audible.

Why does all this matter?

The deadline for submitting to House of Herps #7 is fast approaching.  June 15 will be here before you know it, and that’s the last day for getting your entry into the next celebration of all things herpetological.  Given the sudden overflow of herps right here in the middle of the big city and the rapid approach of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, finding reptiles and amphibians should increasingly present no problems for anyone who goes outside.

So get out there and find some herps.  Then blog about your experience.  And then remember to send your submission to submissions [at] houseofherps [dot] com no later than June 15.  The carnival will then be posted around June 18.

Oh, one more thing.  Though we have hosts lined up for most of the year, we’re still looking for someone to host this edition and the October edition of the carnival dedicated to these ectothermic tetrapods.  If you’re interested in hosting, send an e-mail to submissions [at] houseofherps [dot] com and let us know.  Please remember to include a link to your blog.

Now, get off the internet and go outside!

Hello there herp-fans!

As Spring starts to bear promises of summer, most of us have encountered our first herps of 2010. This is a great time to share your  herping adventures, and the next House of Herps blog carnival is almost here. HoH#6 will be hosted by Bernard “Billy” Brown at Philly Herping. Submissions are due by midnight tonight, but something tells me that a late submission would be able to slither into the carnival which goes up around the 18th.

I would also like to draw your attention to the new Contributors page here at the home site, where I have listed and linked to every blog that has participated in HoH so far, indicated the host blog with an “H,” and linked to the HoH Carnival post itself.

Finally, I thought it might be fun to challenge our bloggers to help us get to enough submissions for every spot on this frog. Or at least most of them…

Please send your submissions to:

• billysbrown[at]gmail[dot]com  OR
• submissions@houseofherps.com

Thanks!