The Deadly Eyelash Pit Viper Strikes!

10 months ago Nature

Eyelash Pit ViperPhoto: BBC Earth/Johny Rogers

Eyelash pit vipers not only have a deadly venom but also come in multiple colors, from the yellow we see here to greens and even pinks. Found in trees, this snake has a tail that is prehensile, meaning it can grip around tree branches. Steve Backshall, who present the TV show Deadly 60, from BBC Earth, brings us a fantastic video showing how incredibly quickly these vipers can strike their target.

The eyelash pit viper has small modified scales on top of its eyes that look like lashes, and like all pit vipers has heat sensing organs (pits) between its nostrils and eyes. This way it can tell simply from temperature when to reach out to strike animals flying or running past. It is an ambush predator and will even return to the same spot every year to ambush migrating birds. It is found throughout South America.

Special thanks to BBC Earth and Deadly 60 for allowing permission to use their image and video.

Sources: 1 2

Written by: Michele Collet

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Comments

Old Comments

ahoffman says

Jul 30th, 2011 at 12am
Luckily, you have to be pretty well within their strike range to catch a bite (and generally you have to make them angry). Gorgeous snakes and great video!

MikeDeHaan says

Jul 27th, 2011 at 12am
There's not much time to dodge a pit viper attack, is there?

Michele Collet says

Jul 27th, 2011 at 12am

between slim and none lol