I was trimming the Abutilon, when I suddenly noticed someone looking me.
It was a big fat, and very long, Snake, who looked as if he was about to pounce. I don't like Snakes at the best of times (even harmless ones), so I shooed him away, and did other things.
I know my fear of them is totally irrational, but so is it with over 50% of the world's population who feel the same as I do.
In case you were wondering, it's a Western Whip Snake. St Patrick, you are needed.
58 comments:
What a lovely surprise for you - not!!
He definitely looks like he's long in length - had he been hanging around for long do you think. Or maybe I should ask do you get many of them in your garden? Non poisonous I hope.
Good grief - I hadn't realised you had snakes over there. Thank goodness there are no snakes here.
These Snakes grow to about 1.5 metres, and this one was fat too. I can't imagine what it was doing there, other than sunbathing. We see one or two (possibly the same one) each year, and I've found baby ones swimming in the pool. They are harmless, but they have the whole of France to play in, and I'd prefer they go elsewhere. I can't help myself, but I just don't like them.
Mostly just this variety. There are Adders around, but their locations are usually well known.
Ooohh...(((shudder))) I don't like snakes either! And we have lots of them here, and plenty of them are poisonous too.
It was a shock seeing it there; looking at me with its tongue flashing in and out. I honestly thought it was going to spring at me.
Oh My Goodness, Son just sent me a photo today of a snake that looked almost the same as yours !
Wonderful photo.
parsnip
I hope his wasn't nasty; the one above is 'harmless', although I expect he'd give a bite!
Nasty things. Best way to see them is dead in the middle of the road
We haven't seen any close by for years but neighbours have said they have already killed one in their yard.
Maybe it is the year of the snake.
No sign of hornets though.
Western whip snake... I googled, powerful and aggressive. Yellow faced western whip snake is poisonous. I just don't do snakes or spiders thank goodness we don't have snakes in NZ and not many spiders either.
Jo in Auckland
Reading the wikipedia article about them made me quite sure I would not want to come across one. Luckily, they do not live in Ohio. But they sound a bit aggressive and they bite and their eyes are prominent and a bit unnerving. I hope he moves away from your area.
We've had a few Hornets around; probably females looking for a new home. They don't worry me as much as Snakes, even though the Hornets can be deadly, and the Snakes harmless.
I was told they were harmless, now you've made me worried. I'm sure he was about to attack!
Oh dear. It looks as if I shall have to consult Wiki to find-out how evil they are. Lady M kept telling me they were good for the garden!!!
I would rather have slugs.
That's a bit harsh, Local Alien. You might not like snakes, even fear them, but to wish any creature (other than mosquitos) actively dead ("middle of the road" no less - what a spectacle) is not exactly charitable.
U
I'm sorry to say that I agree with you. Nasty things!
Well, Cro, not for nothing did God curse the serpent (can you imagine the indignity of having to slither on your belly all your life?) and, consequently, throw us out of paradise. So I suggest that our mistrust/fear of snakes is primal. Bred in the bone as it were. Adam's and Eve's legacy.
Snakes do have an image problem (see above), no doubt about it. I find them quite beautiful and am not afraid of them. However, what unnerves me, big time, if I don't know whether that particular snake curled up over there in the corner is POISONOUS or not. Or hungry. A Boa Constrictor isn't, strictly speaking, poisonous. It just drapes itself around you, gives you a crushing hug and swallows you whole.
If you haven't done so already, Cro, do have a look at one of the illustrations in "Le Petit Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Look at the outline of that snake after it's swallowed an elephant. It'll make you laugh, maybe even trigger some affection (for the snake which now looks like a hat).
U
I know the book well. Many years ago I found a snake by our pond with a lump in his middle in the shape of a Frog/Toad. I felt very sorry for the Frog so I killed the Snake, and released (with difficulty) the Frog. Sadly it didn't survive, so it was a waste of two lives. I now do no such things. I was very young.
Good for the garden? How?
Fact of life. Those snakes in the middle of the road are road kill. Survival of the fittest. I'd rather see one of those than a live one in my house.
She said they eat Slugs... which they probably do!
Me too.
I take your point, Local Alien. Up to a point. Pity that snakes, hedgehogs and frogs, the odd fox, dog and/or cat, deer, can't be taught the perils when crossing a road. Reminds me of a spot my parents-in-law retired to where there was the oddest road sign I'd ever seen. Can't remember the detail now but the warning (for humans) that large numbers of spawn(?)/frogs were migrating over a particular area, across a country road. Resulting, obviously, in roadkill, at not inconsiderable risk of skidding for the car. I am not sure about the facts of the last bit (the skidding) but my FIL did tell it well. Shiver down my spine.
U
Do they come close to the house?
We have no snakes here, fortunately, as I too have an aversion to them. I think it is the way that they can be so still one minute then suddenly strike like lightning. Horrible!
This was right beside our kitchen door! I don't think it would come inside, but I have heard of cases where they did.
Lady M was very brave. I told her to keep talking to it whilst I fetched my camera. It did what it was told.
They are not supposed to be venomous and their strike not harmful to humans, they have been known to eat adders. Dont think you need to worry, Cro.
Kathy
It's an irrational fear; I know. But it's very fixed, and I know I'm not alone.
I did once come across a grass snake - that was enough for me.
Snakes don't worry me, but crane flies(flying daddy long legs) frighten me !
The only snakes you need to worry about are those in government. They speak with forked tongues and are very slippery when they find themselves in a tight spot.
As a friend said when we saw an adder "Good grief, it's one peril after another."
I don't like any of them. They all spell 'danger' to me.
You're the first person I've come across who has a phobia about Crane Flies. You could start a club, with just one member.
I've not come across many snakes but at the house where I stayed with friends in the Poitou-Charente I almost trod on an adder. As I had jandels on I was mighty fortunate. As it was he obviously got an even bigger fright than I did and darted away. I was always very wary after that.
Two!
Must confess I have a deeply fearful reaction to snakes, I am in awe of Lady M keeping him entertained for you.
What used to give me the creeps is the way those guys like to climb up walls. Paul took a photo of me once standing in front of the wisteria and then thought it very amusing because there was Sammy the Snake peering out between the blooms. Ugh!
My camera was only a few feet away, but she did a very good job.
The Snake in Chief has now been demoted, and replaced by a knight of the realm. I feel safer now.
What was the first peril?
My people lived on the edge of a Sussex Golf Course where there were Adders. There were signs everywhere warning dog walkers to be careful. I believe several were bitten and died.
Somewhere I have a photo of my youngest pulling the tail of one as it entered a hole in the wall. I think he did eventually pull it out.
A couple of years ago, I was picking figs from our trees when I noticed something wasn't right about one of the figs still unpicked. Then I noticed that the branch it was on wasn't quite right, either. A snake was resting its head on top of the fig, its long body twined over the branch. To use a throwback term, it freaked my husband out. It was a quite long rat snake (I think). That story is now told along with the one about my then-new husband and I taking his little brother fishing about four days after our wedding. Suddenly, new husband took off running, yelling "snake," leaving new bride and his fourteen-year-old brother looking at each other. I don't like snakes, but I don't have the same primal fear my husband does. Despite deserting me as a new bride, we're still together all these years later.
My wife has just this minute seen the Snake again; this time on the ground and in full sight. She said it was the size of a Boa Constrictor. A slight exaggeration maybe, but it's a big baby!
I don’t mind snakes ( not that I see many here ! ) I’m not sure that I’d like one slithering out of the hydrangeas while I’m digging though. We went to a nature reserve in Florida once and I held lots of snakes . I don’t mind holding mice either but I don’t want them running around the house ! I have the stupid, silly and irrational fear of big spiders ! I have no reason to and I know they are more scared of me that I am of them ! It’s so silly. I am really annoyed with myself over it ! XXXX
My dog, Annie, spent most of the morning yesterday trying to herd a big garter snake out in my garden. They are 'beneficial' snakes and not poisonous at all. Still, I DO NOT LIKE SNAKES of any sort. I didn't kill it, but the thought was there. Fortunately, here in Iowa where I live, we have no venomous snakes. Still....
We all have phobias; mine are Snakes and Dentists. I'm not sure which I hate the most; probably Dentists!
I feel much the same. I certainly don't want to kill them; I just wish they'd go elsewhere.
Oh dear ...... you wouldn’t like me then ..... I was in the dental trade 🤣 XXXX
Lived in TX one year, after early years spent in UK. Seven years old and someone thought it would be funny to throw a very long black snake around my neck. Life-long phobia resulted. At least it wasn't a rattler. Fortunately, we moved back to UK and no snakes were seen for many years. Tried to overcome the fear. But where I live now (thankfully, not TX but in US) there are copperhead snakes, so it seems prudent to stay on the fearful side of the little darlings.
I am part of the 50% who would rather not encounter a snake. The land next to me was disturbed yesterday by some workmen clearing it. It is usually inhabited by frogs and toads and small snakes. Afterwards, My Retired Man found a rather large snake crawling on top of one of our bushes. Better him than me. Just looking at the picture made me shake.
I'm in your 50% and a whip snake sounds terrifying.
One of my grandsons was in Australia recently, and picked up a baby Brown Snake, that he later learned was one of the most poisonous in Oz. Luckily he survived.
Yes, the one in the photo looked as if he was about to pounce on me at any moment. I don't like the way they climb into bushes and up walls. They can be anywhere.
Not nice, especially if like me you have a slight phobia.
Don't worry, I had a very good friend who was a Dentist; I just wouldn't have visited him professionally.
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