I had been away from my garden for 8 weeks, after breaking my toe this winter just as the snow was melting. So I have been eager to catch up on my weeding and planting. The black flies are gone now, so Sunday I went out with the best intentions. Low and behold there in the middle of the garden was this beautiful garter snake. Being easily distracted, I put down my tools and went in to fetch my camera.
Just as I was stepping in, to line up the shot, I nearly stepped on a second snake that I hadn't notice. So I busied myself taking pictures of the snake in the garden. After a couple of clicks, I noticed something in the bottom of the garden snake picture; a little brown snake. Cool, I thought, 2 snakes in 1 shot. So inside I go to download the pictures.
After an hour or so, I came back outside to see if my snakes had gone. Nope, instead the other garter had joined the first, and all 3 were laying out in the sun. Inside I went to fetch my camera. When I came back out, the 1 garter had decided to lay on top of the brown, while the other garter kept watch. Nobody ate anybody, and after a few more hours, all had had enough and went home!
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How fun! We used to sometimes get garter snakes; which always made me wary when mowing. I was so afraid of hurting them. Have not seen one in a couple of years in the yard; not to say they're not still around, we just don't often get to see them!
Nice. When we were in North Carolina, we played host to many of the small ring-neck garden snakes which don't harm anyone or anything. They do catch the smallest rodents and probably bugs and flying insects like mosquitoes, so we considered them beneficial.
Now, we're back in south Florida and recently saw a beautiful black snake out in our back yard. He was about 30" long and was just lying on the brick walkway taking a sunbath. We don't have dogs or cats running loose in our neighborhood, so he's about as safe as he can be.
He was pencil thin, the type we used to call "Coach Whips" when I was a child, and as black and shiny as the Ace of Spades as if he'd been polished.
We came back inside so as not to disturb him. He looked so comfortable and was probably planning a nice lizard lunch before going back to his home wherever that is. I wish we'd taken a photo, but was afraid of running him away. Maybe next
time.
Thank you for sharing your photo with us.
Pookarina
I once found a hibernaculum under a stepping stone, there were many, many snakes there! Maybe there was a hibernaculum somewhere near there!
How nice to hear from people who appreciate snakes. So many comments are about how to get rid of them. We too enjoy our garter snakes and know they help with mice and other pests.
Think the garter snakes are wonderful. Kept a black snake in my garden for years. BUT that little brown snake worries me. I found a little brown snake a while back and it was a copperhead, poisonous! You might want to stay on watch for it.
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