Friendly pest management..a garter snake.

Oh Lori ,I would die if that was in my garden ,is it poisonous ? you say it's friendly so I guess it isn't I'll have to look it up !

So would I freak out lol.

Lori:

Garter snakes are very common in California. They control (along with king snakes) the gofers and the venomous rattles snakes which are so common here. I didn't know you had them all the way up in Canada. Interesting. :>)

We have them too (on Vancouver Island). I was freaked by them in the beginning but I am used to seeing them now. They are friendly and they eat slugs.
Interesting picture Lorilyn.

Bilbobaggins:

You're lucky you don't live in California...there's hundreds of native snakes here.

It makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck just looking at the pic, I flash past it as quick as I can !! Adders are common in Norfolk ... aren't you frightened of all those snakes Del. ?

Lovely picture but, on the whole, I am glad we do not have snakes in our garden. They are beautiful. Humans have an ingrained fear of them. When you read of crushed children and the like, it reinforces that wariness.

That was awful wasn't it Dorjac , those poor children :o(

I don't know how the garter snakes kill...I don't think they're constrictors...like the huge snakes that the crushed children in the Amazon jungle ran afoul of, Amy and Dorjac! lol... Perhaps they are hypnotic or maybe they bite..but I know they don't have fangs and are not venomous.
I understand...I'm phobic about spiders but have made friends with a few because the are good for my garden..it's the same with garter snakes.
In the south-central area of Ontario there are Massassauga rattlesnakes which like rocky areas. Fortunately for me...the locals say there are no venomous snakes here and never have been. Whew!
The little fellow in the picture and his mom and siblings keep the mouse population down...and right now the mice are everywhere! this little fellow is as friendly as snakes get to humans. He eats mice and frogs. Rufus finds them endlessly fascinating! Pat..pat...nice snake!
Delonix: You've given me another fact that I didn't know!...How do harmless garter snakes control venomous rattlesnakes? ...or were you referring to the king snake? I can't say that I don't get the creeps when I see them...but I have accepted their presence in my garden as part of the natural balance. I'd be overrun with mice if not for the snakes. sorry friends...I didn't post this just to give you the heebie-jeebies! peace..

Lol! I'm glad I have no snakes, although I have held a few in my time. but coming upon one unexpectedly would certainly startle me. I'm surprised you don't have Adders Lori. We have them, but I've never seen one.

Heee heeee, you mean Blackadders? lol.... seriously, K. I have heard of "Puff" adders where I grew up..about 100 kms. from here. Only saw one and that was many years ago. They inflate themselves to look as large and threatening as possible. since posting this I have found two tiny brown snakes, (youngsters obviously) but what type they are, I don't know. I have seen young garters and they tend to be dark gray or black. will need to consult an encyclopedia.

I've always heard and read Garter snakes killed rattlesnakes. This is not true. The King snakes do, though.

because of the "Yuck factor" most people pass over snakes unless they are forced to deal with them. Don't plan to try to destroy or discourage them..they are welcome here as long as they can find food, and if or when the food disappears, they most likely will as well!
I had read that about the King snake, D1. They are interesting creatures.

Here's some of the native snakes in California.

http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/common.html