July 16 is World Snake Day: an opportunity to celebrate snakes and raise awareness about their preservation. While snakes are threatened by many of the same issues that affect all wildlife (habitat loss, climate change, and disease), negative attitudes toward snakes may be the biggest barrier to their preservation because it often impedes efforts to address other threats.
It’s a good time to recognize these natural pest controllers! Gardeners should be glad to see snakes glide through the garden. These much-maligned reptiles consume garden pests, including slugs, grubs, mice, voles, and rats.
Garter snakes are the most common type found in our area. They’re medium-sized slender snakes with a head barely wider than the neck. Most species have a stripe on top of the back, and on the bottom of each side, but on some species this stripe is faint or absent, and sometimes the side stripes are absent.
They won’t bite you unless provoked. They are really very shy and are not looking for a fight!
To make your property garter snake friendly:
- Provide habitat if you have room. Old plywood or corrugated metal roofing left loosely on the ground in an out-of-the-way place provides hiding and nesting places for these slithering creatures. Old stumps and large rocks also make good snake habitat.
- Walk your lawn before you mow to scare the snakes into hiding. Lawn mowers are deadly to snakes because they can’t hear like we do. Rather, they feel vibrations.
- Don’t use chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers, in areas used by snakes, including lawns.
- If you have pets, the likelihood of attracting snakes is minimal.