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Florida Gardening

Snake ID

12 years ago

Hi Marcia or other snake experts. I have a snake that has just shown up recently and have either seen a few or the same one in the grass. It is fairly small, maybe a foot or a bit larger. It has vertical strips in shades of brown and tan. I have a nasty bug on my roses, the leaf-eating weevil. From what I've read, nothing will kill it and it has no predators. Unfortunately it is a killer. The adults eat the leaves, the larvae eats the roots. It has a wide range of plants that it likes. I'm hoping that maybe this snake likes weevil treats. If so, I hope he has a family reunion in my yard. I have also seen more of the bright green lizards that are about 10-12" long. Maybe they also like the weevil treats. I even called the pest control company in desperation. They told me nothig could kill these weevils. Thanks for your help with the info on the snake.

Nancy

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Comments (9)

billbrandi
12 years ago
"Vertical strips of brown and tan"? First, does not sound like any of the poisonous varieties in Florida. The only poisonous variety that comes close to striped is the coral snake, which has red, yellow, black horizontal stripes. It could be any one of many Florida snakes with vertical stripes, none of which are harmful, all of which prey on things we prefer not to have in our yards. My bet would be one of the rat snakes.

Snakes eat just about anything,including those lizards. If you have given up on pesticides, you might try going "green" and introducing ladybugs into your garden; see if they will eat the weevils.
teka2rjleffel
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks Billbrandi. These weevils are bigger than ladybugs I think. I have purchased green lacewings before and they disappeared. Do the ladybugs hang around?
Nancy
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Nice Pictures! I can answer your question. That black snake is a black rat snake. Was that midland water snake (subspecies of the northern water snake) found at LaRue Road. I have never found a midland water there before. In fact I don't think I know anyone who has seen one there either. I'm sure they have a good population there, but it surprises me that you saw one. They generally inhabit lakes, creeks and rivers. One doesn't usually see a midland or northern water snake in cypress swamp. I have seen them up north in oxbow lakes. I did see a midland water snake at Mingo swamp in a ditch, but that is far as my northern water snake experience goes. Nice find. Ryan
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I google for "__animal name__" of "__location__" and it works quite well http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/reptiles/snakes/snakes_of_virginia.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_water_snake http://www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/northern_water_snake Northern Water Snake baby ... they are strongly marked compared to the adults.
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You don't say exactly where you are - for reptiles and amphibians, the locality tells which subspecies, but it is a baby Rat Snake. Rat Snake, WIkipedia Where you are is important to know what it will look like when it is grown. Totally harmless BTW, and can be picked up and played with.
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stuartwanda
12 years ago
Nancy, here is a site that I saved on snakes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Snakes of Fl.
teka2rjleffel
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks Stuartwanda. Unfortunately my snake wasn't there.
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
12 years ago
Perhaps it was a juvenile?

& I know 1 thing that kills those weevils for sure - the bottom of a shoe.
ladywingr
12 years ago
Good luck with the weevils. Once it stops raining, they will disappear for a while. I have many native and ornamentals in my yard (as well as a tangerine tree) that are slowly being devoured. I squish the weevils in my gloved hand until I get bored. They "say" they don't fly, but they can fly enough to evade me when I try to do the recommended, Shake them into an upturned umbella and dump into a bucket of soapy water.

As for the snake, perhaps it isn't a snake at all but a lizard? Check out "Ophisaurus ventralis" which is the Eastern Glass Lizard. Looks like a short (about a foot long) snake.

Here is a link that might be useful: Glass Lizard
teka2rjleffel
Original Author
12 years ago
ladywingr, that most certainly does look like the one I've seen. How cool. I was glad to read that they like insects. Maybe they will eat those blasted weevils.

I tried putting the weevils in a pail of water and they jumped out. It was squishing after that.
Thanks
Nancy
stuartwanda
12 years ago
I really like that site Ladywingr, thanks!
ladywingr
12 years ago
You are welcome.

On the weevil issue, I just picked up a copy of the latest pest management guidance from the Extension office (Pub# ENY-611). This is geared toward citrus, but will apply to other plants.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/cg006

Attached was a pest identification guide (HS-868), which gives ID tips for all the weevils.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs130

(Yes, I'm a researching fool)

Terri

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