[NatureNS] Garter Snake

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Sat, 23 May 2009 17:29:34 -0300
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Hi all,

There are only five species of snakes in Nova Scotia. None of them are =20=

venomous. Both Northern Ringneck Snakes and Northern Redbelly snakes =20
have a "ring" around their neck, although that on the Ringneck Snake =20
tends to be more obvious. There are no authenticated records of Black =20=

Racers anywhere in the Maritime Provinces, although it is possible =20
that they may occasionally make their way into areas of extreme =20
southwestern New Brunswick (they do occur in Maine).

Technically an "asp" would refer to the Common Asp (Vipera aspis), a =20
venomous snake found in southern Europe. More generally Vipers (genus =20=

Vipera) are a genus of venomous snakes found throughout much of the =20
Old World. The word is sometimes used poetically to refer to any =20
venomous snake, none of which are found anywhere in Atlantic Canada.

Paul is right: the most fearsome creature of the woods here may be the =20=

yellow jacket (Vespula spp.). My spouse was once stung 12 times while =20=

gathering raspberries. It's an experience she won't soon forget ... ;->

All the best,

Chris

On 23-May-09, at 12:05 PM, hghgh wrote:

> Hi Roland the snake with the ring around it is ringnecked snake . =20
> Gater snakes are the only ones that bit. I have handeled snakes all =20=

> my life and the only way to savely hand a gater snake is to grab it =20=

> behind its head on the neck . I only been bit once and I was lifting =20=

> a rock were one had young, it was a big snake and it did hurt it =20
> drew blood . But if you do not know much about snakes its best not =20
> to try to pick one up all the best Peter
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Roland McCormick <roland.mccormick@ns.sympatico.ca>
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> Date: Saturday, May 23, 2009 11:46 AM
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Garter Snake
>
> Hello Paul -
>       What about the small black snakes with a ring around the =20
> neck?  I understand they are asps and not snakes, but what is the =20
> difference? I have found two or three dead ones in my driveway,  and =20=

> I once saw a live one when we moved some old wagon parts.
>        I don't think I would trust any black snakes. I have seen a =20
> few big ones I would prefer to stay away from. In my present home I =20=

> see mostly brown or green garter snakes.
>
> Roland.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Paul S. Boyer
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2009 9:55 AM
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Garter Snake
>
> I believe that there are no venomous snakes in Nova Scotia.  =20
> However, even garter snakes can bite, and their tiny, little teeth =20
> can even draw blood.  (I have had that happen to me.)  Although cold-=20=

> blooded animals do not carry rabies, the oral hygiene of a garter =20
> snake may be such that its bite could transmit lots of interesting =20
> bacteria, so I would handle the snake with gloves.
>
> Garter snakes have longitudinal striping, and are not really brown =20
> (unless they have not shed the skin for a long time).
>
> Isn't it possible that the snake got into the house in some other =20
> room, and then slithered into the bathroom by chance?  It might have =20=

> been hiding somewhere else in the house, and was merely looking for =20=

> water.  In any case, it really belongs outdoors.
>
> A foot long is small for a snake.  I don't think that there is any =20
> rational reason for fear of any snake in the province, although =20
> their movement can startle people.  The most dangerous animals =20
> around are probably stinging insects such as yellow jackets (who are =20=

> especially aggressive in the fall), and bears (if you ever find any).
>
> =97 Paul
>
> On 22 May 2009, at 10:59 PM, Gayle MacLean wrote:
>
>> Hello All,
>>
>> Had a strange occurrence happen today.
>> My husband found a garter snake in our bathroom this evening. How =20
>> it got there I have no idea! I just can't fathom where it might =20
>> have come in!
>>  Along a radiator pipe maybe?
>> I was working at the time so unfortunately I didn't get to see it.
>> He described it as a BIG (a foot long or so) brown snake. Sounded =20
>> like a garter snake to me which we see around the yard every summer.
>> Anyway, he picked it up by the tail and threw it out the door.
>> I can just imagine his expression! He said the sweat was just =20
>> pouring off him.
>> He was not amused.
>>
>> Gayle MacLean
>> Dartmouth
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Instant message from any web browser! Try the new Yahoo! Canada =20
>> Messenger for the Web BETA
>
>
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 8.5.339 / Virus Database: 270.12.37/2130 - Release Date: =20
> 05/23/09 07:00:00



Christopher Majka  <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca> | Halifax, Nova Scotia, =20
Canada

* Research Associate: Nova Scotia Museum | =
http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/research-asfr.htm
* Review Editor: The Coleopterists Bulletin | http://www.coleopsoc.org/
* Subject Editor: ZooKeys | =
http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/index
* Associate Editor: Journal of the Acadian Entomological Society | =
http://www.acadianes.org/journal.html
* Editor: Atlantic Canada Coleoptera | =
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/atlantic_coleoptera.html

"Whenever I hear of the capture of rare beetles, I feel like an old =20
war-horse at the sound of a trumpet." - Charles Darwin


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi =
all,<div><br></div><div>There are only five species of snakes in Nova =
Scotia. None of them are&nbsp;venomous. Both Northern Ringneck Snakes =
and Northern Redbelly snakes have a "ring" around their neck, although =
that on the Ringneck Snake tends to be more obvious. There are no =
authenticated records of Black Racers anywhere in the Maritime =
Provinces, although it is possible that they may occasionally make their =
way into areas of extreme southwestern New Brunswick (they do occur in =
Maine).&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Technically an "asp" would refer =
to the Common Asp (<i>Vipera aspis</i>), a venomous snake found in =
southern Europe. More generally Vipers (genus <i>Vipera</i>) are a genus =
of venomous snakes found throughout much of the Old World. The word is =
sometimes used poetically to refer to any venomous snake, none of whic