Thread Drift

[Crankin]

Lisa, I'm not normally skittish around bugs, but that picture is freaking me out.

[katluvr]

Very quiet here today on TD.
Yep, large hairy spiders are a bit scarey.
I do LOVE all animals and rarely kill bugs (save them from the cats)--but I would probably freak out if I saw that!
Snakes are another creater that I am very "un-fond" of. The black racers we get in the yard are OK, but I would rather watch from "a far"!
Not much else freaks me out.

[OakLeaf]

Here's my li'l buddy.



He/she lives in my garage (no idea how to tell which). Been there a couple of months now. Sometimes on top of the blanket, sometimes tucked into it (so cute!), sometimes out and about I don't know where. I can't say that I've noticed any less mouse activity, but I hope the snake is deterring them. We did put the shop towels right next to the snake's blanket and the mice have left them alone, at least.

[Zen]

Your buddy is very pretty. What kind is she?

[Duck on Wheels]

Looks to me like a garter snake (aka garden snake). Very nice! You'll probably notice more of a dent in the local slug population than in mice, but still a very pretty, useful, and harmless animal to have around. A good neighbor. Congratulations

[Zen]

I will name her Gertie.

[Biciclista]

looks rather large for a garter snake, but maybe they are bigger in other regions?
oboy, there are 3 kinds, that explains it!!
http://greennature.com/article86.html
Garter snakes come in a variety of colorings. Generally, the Eastern garter snake can be identified by its dark body with three stripes, a thin one on its back and thicker ones on either side. The stripes are normally yellow. Eighteenth-century Moravian missionary, David Zeisberger, described garter snakes as, "a kind of striped, brightly marked snakes which are small and harmless.

http://greennature.com/article86.html
All garter snakes are characterized as small (two to three feet), thin and colorfully striped.

Florida has blue garter snakes, Texas has Checkered Garter Snakes, the West Coast has different versions of red garter snakes.

Apart from the species that have unusual field markings, multiple, similar looking, species can be found in many areas of the United States, sometimes making for identification problems.
close-up of a red-sided garter snake

Garter snake identification can be easy with a good picture. The suggestion may sound a bit frightening, however, keep in mind that garter snakes are typically unaggressive species with less than great eyesight.

They generally feel vibrations in the ground as their first indication of a human presence. Treading lightly and move slowly, makes it pretty easy to get within inches of one for a picture.
close-up of a northwestern garter snake or mountain garter snake

Once the picture is in hand, identification starts by noticing the color of the stripes running down its back, the color of its belly, and its facial markings.

The first and second pictures shows the Red-sided Garter snake, the first from a distance, the second from close-up. The close-up shows the snake's reddish color face, with the exception of the light color end of the lower jaw.

The third picture of a Northwestern Garter snake (Thamnophis ordinoides) was taken at close range using a flash. Sometimes they are called a Mountain Garter Snake, however, they should not be confused with Thamnophis elegans elegans, the Mountain Garter Snake of Northern and Central California.
Usually there are no more than a handful of garter species in any one area. With picture in hand and the use of a local reptile guide that also includes pictures, identification skills can only improve.

The Valley Garter Snake and Mountain Garter Snake links in the box on the right point to additional western species.

[OakLeaf]

I'd say it's closer to 3 feet than 2. I didn't expect that it was big enough to eat adult mice, but I'm hoping its scent repels them. And if it will eat baby mice, all the better. It was definitely looking a bit "lumpy" last week.

Now, if I could get one of those big black rat snakes to move into the garage, maybe the garter snake can move into the car.

[Trek420]

Your buddy is very pretty. What kind is she?

Paging Nanci to Thread Drift

[crazycanuck]

Well, we're off to our 6hr & it's going to be one big puddle fest..It poured last night & is still raining a bit now. I can see similarities between last year's event & today. In 08, it was a beautiful day on the sat & POURED sun.

Extra blankets, towels, bike nicks, jackets etc are all packed.

the pea gravel will be nice & grippy.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yes, Karen, hope you recover quickly!