Snakes!

Snakes get a really bad rap.  A lot of people are truly afraid of snakes, even small ones, like Reginald, who showed up at the Lodge this week.

A common garter snake, this little reptile is nobody to worry about.  Garter, or grass, snakes, eat earthworms, small beetles, small frogs... occasionally -- if you are a big snake -- a mouse falls prey.  Their mouths are much too small, however, to inflict a bite on people, they are not poisonous, and serve a valuable role in the natural balance.

Perhaps what is so alarming is their rapid movement -- that uncanny ability to slide and slither and twist...  Combined with their camoflage, snakes often aren't spotted until they do move, and they are usually moving fast. It's a startle reflex to jump away, and it serves a useful purpose for the snake as well.  Best to just leave them be, out there.  If you do need to relocate (as we did with Reginald, because he was frightening guests), pick them up gently. Support the middle of the body, and if necessary, gently lead the head away from a direction you don't want them to go.

David had a little chat with this fellow before releasing him into our huge garden, where he will be able to find slugs, grubs, earthworms and other tasty treats.

Snakes feel quite amazing. They are dry, not slimy, and they heat their bodies by basking in the sun.  In winter, the garter snakes gather together into dens, called hibernaculums, and all spend the winter tangled together -- a technique that provides sufficient heat to keep them all comfortable.