Living with snakes

A copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix, by a boardwalk outside the chainlink fence around the older section of the NC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill around June 29, 2016 ©.

. 

This article is from 10 years ago and again I haven't re-edited or gone over everything again for this posting.  

Living with snakes

Snakes are diverse and abundant in the Carolinas, and many live around homes. Six species are dangerous, but it is possible to coexist, and snakes are wonderful and beneficial reptiles to have around.

For this article, several gardens and state parks were asked about their snakes. At the Botanical Gardens at Asheville garter, Eastern hognose, rat, ringneck, and worm snakes are typical. A Northern copperhead was found once, and the staff considered leaving it, but decided it was too risky and relocated it. All of the gardens moved venomous snakes occasionally, while parks can only shoo them off paths. Garter snakes give birth in the stone walls at the Botanical Gardens. Rat snakes help control what garden manager Jay Kranyik calls an “extraordinary vole population.” He says “One thing I'm very proud of is that we manage the garden for all species: birds, mammals, snakes, etc.” and that snakes are “100% beneficial to the garden or any healthy environment.”

The Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham, NC has garter snakes, Northern water snakes, banded water snakes, rat snakes, kingsnakes, corn snakes, and sometimes copperheads.

At the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, SC there are 14 wild species. Curator of Herpetology Scott Pfaff says about 95% of the snakes people see are black rat snakes. Racers, garter snakes, and kingsnakes are also common, while copperheads are seldom seen.

At the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University in urban Raleigh snakes are rare, but black rat snakes, often found in the trellised Wisteria, and Eastern garter snakes, which favor the water garden, are usual. There are occasionally brown snakes and, more rarely, Northern water snakes.

Many species are found at the Airlie Gardens in Wilmington, including copperheads, Northern black racers, rat, rough green, Eastern hognose, ringneck, redbelly, southeastern crowned, and brown water snakes.

About 30 species are known at Magnolia Plantation and Garden in Charleston, mainly yellow rat snakes (a black rat snake subspecies), racers, rough green snakes, garter snakes, ribbon snakes, banded water snakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths.

There are many harmless species, and they are most often encountered. No one has been bitten at any of these places. A venomous snake doesn't want to tangle with us and waste venom, which is why a cottonmouth gives a warning with its white mouth. Some species even tolerate being stepped on. Trying to capture or kill a snake is a common reason for bites. Copperheads and maybe cottonmouths are the only dangerous venomous snakes usually found in residential areas.

Copperheads are pretty copper-colored snakes with darker hourglass-shaped bands. These gregarious snakes are common in woods, but they become nocturnal in summer, so the author rarely sees them outside of late September, when they lie on roads. They are often reluctant to move and may lack traction on asphalt. Their bite is said to be painful, but not serious for most people. In NC there have only been one or two verifiable deaths from bites. Anti-venom treatment can be expensive and may be dangerous itself. As with any bite, infection is a risk.

Related cottonmouths are black or brown with darker bands and often have a stripe from the nose through the eye. When swimming, a cottonmouth sits higher in the water than other water snakes. Popular opinion to the contrary, cottonmouths are basically a coastal plain species. James C. Helms, superintendent of Carolina Beach State Park (which lacks cottonmouths), says cottonmouths like debris and vegetation at water's edge, but are not as arboreal as other water snakes. Cottonmouths at parks where he has worked rarely got on trails. He says “it does seem that the larger, older ones will 'stand' their ground. In these cases we recommend that visitors give them a 'wide berth.'” while younger ones retreat after gaping. Cottonmouths seem to avoid paths and people, but NC state parks inventory biologist Ed Corey says a colloquial name is swamp lion, because “they aren't afraid of anything.” People have been killed or suffered amputations from bites.

There are too many non-venomous snakes to describe here, but some good resources are www.herpsofnc.org, the Audubon and Peterson field guides, and the venerable Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia. For the most detailed accounts, see Reptiles of North Carolina.

The Carolinas have several Nerodia water snakes, such as the Northern water snake. They somewhat resemble cottonmouths and are therefore persecuted. Andy Buchanan at Lake Waccamaw says “almost any snake in the water will be a cottonmouth” to visitors. Ribbon snakes are water-loving snakes in rural areas, resembling garter snakes, another Thamnophis species.

In lush vegetation there could be rough green snakes, a well-hidden scaly jewel. These cute green snakes focus on arthropods and rarely if ever bite.

Eastern and Southern hognose snakes specialize on amphibians and have puckish displays. A hognose snake might inflate and hiss loudly, thus the appellation puff adder, if confronted. If that fails to deter, it rolls around in agony and foams at the mouth. The snake ends belly up with its tongue hanging out, but rolls over again if placed right side up.

Rat snakes and racers are the main black snakes, the former glossy and often arboreal while the latter is dull black and fast. Rat snakes swallow golf balls and bottles, so trash should be removed for healthy snakes.

Under landscaping timbers there could be small species such as ringneck and rough earth snakes.

Relocating snakes is not recommended, because moving a snake even half a mile could kill it, because it won't know where to hibernate [?]. A grabbing tool like a Nifty Nabber is useful for gently moving snakes. Snakes are part of the landscape, but to have fewer snakes, try removing debris, rock piles, and loose food, closing holes in outbuildings, and getting cats. Remember to lift shelters like boards so they are between you and any snake underneath.

To encourage snakes, rock walls, logs, and brush provide shelter from predators while paths provide basking locations. Paved paths need to be narrow, because small snakes and ground skinks, a lizard, can die there, probably from overheating.

Mythical snakes have been thought of as good animals, providing protection and wisdom, and with understanding these beautiful animals can inhabit our gardens and control pests.