My neighbor stopped by the other day. In order to enter our house, one must walk into our greenhouse then come in through the sliding glass door.
This little 650 square foot home, built long ago, used to be only a greenhouse at one time before being adapted into a house, but the front part was left a greenhouse and is still attached. A bit awkward, but I do love it just the same. The greenhouse is not even close to critter proof! Birds appear and hopefully escape before my cat notices; mice and other rodents can enter, but don’t usually ever leave (meow); and yes – even snakes can visit! Which is why my neighbor asked, “Do you want me to catch it and take it out?” “Oh, no!” I replied. “But just don’t tell my sister.” Or my cat.
This is an Eastern garter snake. It hunts during the day, also known as basking. As a cold-blooded animal it has to warm up and this is how it does so. Their bodies need the heat of the sun to digest their food. Snakes like to bask where they can find a place to hide quickly, which our greenhouse definitely affords with it’s slatted floor where it can escape the claws of Sir Chubbleton.
Well – if Sir Chubbleton happens to be hunting, which he obviously is NOT in this photo.
Garter snakes like to feast on frogs, toads, salamanders, earthworms, small fish, tadpoles, mice, bird eggs, slugs, crayfish, leeches, insects, and small snakes. A greenhouse is nice, but they do attract a variety of insects that are not particularly desirable, so I am not in the least opposed to his presence. So in my case, I would give a hearty ‘hooray’ as opposed to a cry for help.
If you are a reptile fan like I am, you will not want to miss this presentation on August 2 at the Moebius Nature Center (MNC) in Aurora.
Snakes, Lizards, Turtles with Paul Bodnar!
Time: 1:00 pm
Where: Moebius Nature Center
929 E. Mennonite Road, Aurora.
Just past Sunny Lake Park, up the hill and on your left.
Local celebrity wildlife conservationist Paul Bodnar returns to the MNC to host one of our most popular programs of the year. Paul will share with us stories and survival lessons of his favorite reptile friends: snakes, lizards, and turtles, many found in some of the most remote ecosystems of the world. This live animal show and tell will surely please youngsters and families of all ages. We’ll be starting promptly at 1 pm, so please plan to arrive a few minutes early to get a good seat.
This presentation is free, but registration is requested. Click HERE.
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