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jennifer28 · April 17, 2012

I covered my beds last year with black landscape fabric after I tilled them under for the season.
A few days ago I was taking the fabric off and there were several garter snakes under there, LOL. They are nothing compared to that snake, but they did startle me. I think non-venomous snakes can be a benefit in the garden since they do eat pesty insects. Even the bigger non-venomous snakes are helpful in my opinion when they eat rodents. But I wouldn't want a big venomous one around.

Hmmm I went and read about garter snakes on wikipedia and I found this
Garters were long thought to be nonvenomous, but recent discoveries have revealed that they do in fact produce a mild neurotoxic venom.[4] Garter snakes cannot kill humans with the small amounts of venom they produce, which is comparatively mild, and they also lack an effective means of delivering it. They do have enlarged teeth in the back of their mouth, but their gums are significantly larger.[5][6] Whereas most venomous snakes have anterior or forward venom glands, the Duvernoy's gland of garters are posterior (to the rear) of the snake's eyes.[7] The mild venom is spread into wounds through a chewing action.

Very interesting, but I still don't think their venom "counts" LOL

April 17, 2012	#10
jennifer28 Two-faced Drama Queen Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital Posts: 955	I covered my beds last year with black landscape fabric after I tilled them under for the season. A few days ago I was taking the fabric off and there were several garter snakes under there, LOL. They are nothing compared to that snake, but they did startle me. I think non-venomous snakes can be a benefit in the garden since they do eat pesty insects. Even the bigger non-venomous snakes are helpful in my opinion when they eat rodents. But I wouldn't want a big venomous one around. Hmmm I went and read about garter snakes on wikipedia and I found this Garters were long thought to be nonvenomous, but recent discoveries have revealed that they do in fact produce a mild neurotoxic venom.[4] Garter snakes cannot kill humans with the small amounts of venom they produce, which is comparatively mild, and they also lack an effective means of delivering it. They do have enlarged teeth in the back of their mouth, but their gums are significantly larger.[5][6] Whereas most venomous snakes have anterior or forward venom glands, the Duvernoy's gland of garters are posterior (to the rear) of the snake's eyes.[7] The mild venom is spread into wounds through a chewing action. Very interesting, but I still don't think their venom "counts" LOL Last edited by jennifer28; April 17, 2012 at 11:42 PM.