ing ▁sites . ▁When ▁the ▁Al amed a ▁strip ed ▁rac er ▁finds ▁pre y ▁like ▁the ▁Western ▁f ence ▁l izard ▁( S cel op orus ▁occident alis ) ▁or ▁the ▁Western ▁sk ink ▁( E um ec es ▁sk il ton ian us ), ▁it ▁takes ▁the ▁pre y ▁quickly , ▁holds ▁it ▁tight ▁under ▁the ▁loops ▁of ▁its ▁body ▁and ▁sw all ows ▁it ▁whole ▁without ▁con str iction . ▁Al amed a ▁wh ips n akes ▁are ▁great ▁clim bers ▁and ▁are ▁able ▁to ▁quickly ▁move ▁through ▁trees ▁and ▁shr ubs ▁to ▁h unt ▁pre y ▁or ▁escape ▁pred ators ▁( US ▁Fish ▁and ▁Wild life ▁ 2 0 0 6 ). ▁ ▁Re production ▁ ▁Court ship ▁and ▁m ating ▁are ▁observed ▁from ▁late ▁March ▁through ▁mid - J une . ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁males ▁move ▁around ▁throughout ▁their ▁home ▁ranges , ▁but ▁females ▁appear ▁to ▁remain ▁at ▁or ▁near ▁their ▁hi bern ac ula , ▁where ▁m ating ▁occurs . ▁Fem ale ▁egg ▁lay ing ▁sites ▁are ▁typically ▁located ▁in ▁grass lands ▁with ▁scattered ▁shr ub ▁habitat . ▁Cop ulation ▁comm ences ▁soon ▁after ▁emer gence ▁from ▁winter ▁hi bern ac ula ▁( S wa im ▁ 1 9 9 4 ). ▁Fem ales ▁begin ▁lay ing ▁eggs ▁in ▁mid - late ▁May . ▁A verage ▁cl utch ▁size ▁is ▁just ▁greater ▁than ▁ 7 ▁eggs ▁with ▁a ▁significant ▁correlation ▁between ▁body ▁size ▁and ▁cl utch ▁size ▁( G old berg ▁ 1 9 7 5 ).