Lifestyle: garter snake in the garden

Self-tutoring about garter snakes and gardening: the tutor shares about garter snakes.

Until 2012, I used to see snakes fairly often in the yard. Since, I’ve wondered where they’ve gone. After all, reptiles are sensitive creatures whose presence usually suggests environmental health. Furthermore, to my knowledge, we have no poisonous snakes on Vancouver Island. Therefore, a snake here is never a worry:)

A couple weeks back, I finally encountered a garter snake in the garden, to my relief. Maybe they’ve been here all along, but hiding? Perhaps we’ve just been missing each other. Anyway, there it was, alarmed at first, but soon much less timid.

The snake might have been 45cm, brown with red stripes down its sides; I suspect it to be northwestern garter snake.

I decided to research what benefits, etc, accompany snake presence in the garden. Apparently they eat anything they can – rodents (which would have to be very small for the snake I saw), grasshoppers, slugs, etc. Early last evening I observed slugs emerging: I hope that snake is taking notice:)

Source:

www.bcreptiles.ca

learn.eartheasy.com

ahealthylifeforme.com