“Snake Alert”, a copyrighted post, was written for my WordPress blog called Always Growing by Jan in Covington, Louisiana
I don’t know what is happening lately, but I just am so busy that I can’t blog as much as I want to. I use this blog as a way of keeping a record of what is happening in my garden, so I really do want to post more regularly. I used to be able to write a post everyday, but now, life is getting very complicated.
So, let me catch up a little with what has been going on around here. This morning, after my coffee, I went upstairs to get dressed and what was on my bedroom curtains – a large lizard. Now, I do like to see lizards around the garden but definitely not in the bedroom. As I went to find dear hubby so he could remove said lizard, I passed by my little button fern and immediately noticed something strange. On closer inspection, I realized it was a snake skin.
This is the first time we have ever seen a snake skin around, and I am not too thrilled it was so close to the house. It must be from this little fellow we saw earlier in the summer.
Snakes are very beneficial to the garden. They eat insects and rodents. I have read that they can really do a number on grasshoppers. I wonder if that is why I am not seeing as many lubbers as I used to. The snakes do this work without damaging the garden. Garter snakes are supposed to eat slugs, and anything that eats slugs can’t be all bad.
In general, you have nothing to fear from snakes. This is especially true if you live in the United States. Only four species of snakes are dangerous in The United States. They are the copperhead, the rattlesnake (several species) the cottonmouth, and the coral snake. Now these are the ones you need to avoid and not invite into your garden.
If you see a snake in your garden, remember they are keeping the grasshopper, cricket, mice, moles and other critter populations down, making for a nicer garden. They want nothing to do with you. Try to overcome your fears and enjoy the benefits the snakes are providing.
Now, as for me I don’t mind an occasional snake in my garden as long as I don’t see it.