Forest of the Plains

Last summer we were frequently visited by a black rat snake. He often would be curled around the bend of the kitchen porch’s stairs in the early mornings, and would be gone by 11 am or so. I always greeted him warmly because I knew what his primary purpose in life was. I fully support things that help eliminate rodents!

I hadn’t seen a snake all summer, so I was surprised to find a snake in the kitchen garden today. It was very colorful - bright yellow stripes and black & red checks. I watched it slither around for a while and then started to wonder what kind of snake it actually was & how poisonous it could be. Snake identification is something that I have absolutely no experience in. I could probably figure out if it was a rattle snake, but that’s about it.

So, I snapped some digital pictures and sat down with the trusty Internets. I found this site that helps you narrow down your snake’s identity - just like the dichotomous key that we used in high school biology!

It appears that I probably encountered a garter snake. I really should know these things. Do you think anyone publishes “The Essential Outdoor Creature Guide for those New to Country Living”?