4. Weedy fields, dominated by such pioneer plants as ragweeds,
sunflowers, horseweed, milkweed, wild lettuce, aster and goldenrod.
5. Open type of woodland dominated by such trees as honey locust and
osage orange.
These habitat types are interspersed on the study area, and each racer
has a wide choice of habitats without travelling beyond the limits of
its own chosen area.
Grassland that has been closely grazed, mowed or burned does not
provide entirely adequate food or shelter, and under such conditions
clumps of brush or other dense vegetation may be of critical
importance. Throughout the racer's extensive range, fields of grain
and hay at times provide suitable habitat, and may support large
populations, but in spring, before the young cultivated plants have
made much growth, or later in the season, after they have been cut,
the racer may need to depend on adjacent areas of pasture, thicket, or
woodland edge and the availability of such refugia to a large extent
determines the numbers of racers on cultivated areas.