skip to main content

What I caught in my trap!

17 years ago

Yesterday I set my ground trap because all of a sudden I have an influx of HOSP and with bluebirds,chickadees and TRES all nesting out back I knew I needed to take action.My husband met me in the driveway when I got home from work and said,"you have got to see this" In my trap I had 3 HOSP and a snake who had already killed one bird.The birds were larger than the snake.It was unbelievable.If I had found it by myself,I would have really freaked out.Thank goodness for husbands who take care of things.Has anyone ever seen anything like this?Just unreal,still cannot believe it.Just hope my nesters stay safe......Jane

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

michelle_4466
17 years ago
Jane,
Good for you.If you had not caught the snake,he would have gobbled up your BB chicks.The HOSPs would have killed your BB parents.Count your blessings.No,I have never heard of a snake getting caught in the ground trap.
michelle
tmann05
17 years ago
No snakes for me but I did find a dead mouse in my repeating trap before...
Related Discussions
I don't think my venus fly trap is a venus fly trap
Q
Comments (6)
Most definitely NOT a VFT. I think you've got some kind of herb (maybe pineapple sage???) Did you end up with little red flowers? I want to try my hand at growing VFTs as well and have been reading up on how to germinate and grow these fascinating plants. Here's a link I found very helpful about how to grow these guys. I just ordered some seeds on eBay, so we'll have to wait and see what comes up. BTW, you should be able to find photos of actual VFT seedlings online. They look just like mini VFT. Here is a link that might be useful: Venus Flytrap Info
...See More
What to do with my venus fly trap from Lowe's?
Q
Comments (2)
LOL! Deja vu! Anyhoo, those mini-terrariums are more cute and decoartive than they are useful. You have the right idea about putting them on the porch. VFT's do best when kept outside. They are real light lovers. but going from a cube to direct sun in one day would be too much for them. Keeping them on the porch, in "bright shade" (indirect light) for a week, for acclimation, is the way to go. They need air circulation, so the plastic cover needs to go. They need drainage, so they need to be repotted. Hold the contents upside down, over your hand, and coax the whole thing, plant and soil to come out as one unit and place in a bigger, drained pot. Fill in with LFS, which is long fribre sphagnum, which can be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot. Sit the pot in a plastic container of water. Below is an pictoral illustration. Pretend that these are VFT's.
...See More
I took a break from gardening..look what I caught!
Q
Comments (7)
Nice fish. Now put it back in the lake and get back to gardening so I can go there and recatch it> By the way, what lake did you say it was in? What bait did you use? What time of day? What spot? Good grief, my jealousy is showing? Sorry.
...See More
Finally caught the culprits eating my peas!
Q
Comments (19)
So glad you solved your mystery! On another note: for many seasons I've had a bird feeder station with tons of house finches/goldfinches/house sparrows/etc. just a few feet away from my veggie beds planted with peas, without any noticeable losses. It sounds as though the birds in your area are hungry for protein, as nesting season's underway. Now they've learned to eat a handy alternative when insect populations are low: your poor peas! It sounds counter-intuitive, but offering them a feeder filled with oily black sunflower seeds might keep losses to a minimum. In my experience, they'd much rather have enticing, easy-to-get fatty seeds than the so-so peas. Other people's mileage may vary, of course. Since pea-prospecting is a learned behavior, bird netting is currently your best bet until the next few generations "forget" this food source. Best wishes for your garden, L
...See More
chris8796
17 years ago
I've seen pictures on a purple martin forum of snakes getting caught in HOSP traps and getting the decoys. I'm glad I live in an area with fewer rodent/bird eating snakes (upper midwest). I have yet to see one in 7 yrs, only garter and water snakes.

The strangest thing I've caught is a Robin with a taste for white bread.
crcst
Original Author
17 years ago
Believe it or not,this was a garter snake.We looked it up on the internet.Thank goodness we don't have big snakes here in our area.I really don't think he would have gotten to the box,but who knows.I am just grateful that things turned out the way it did.Hopefully we never have this happen again.My blues should hatch this weekend,hope it stops raining.So far it has been a good year.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Organic Matters: Thwart Insect Pests With Trap Crops

By Therese Ciesinski

Add a few sacrificial plants to your garden to lure insects away from the harvest

DIY PROJECTS 12 Signs You've Caught the DIY Bug

By Nina Montenegro

Been making inventive things from scratch? Repurposing salvaged pieces creatively? It may be more serious than you think

LIVING ROOMS Design Dose: 3 Living Rooms That Caught Our Eye This Week

By Mitchell Parker

We wanted to learn more about these living rooms — bright, bold and rustic — uploaded in the past 7 days

DECLUTTERING Escape the Inheritance Trap: What to Do With Sentimental Pieces

By Glamour Nest

Too meaningful to toss but too hideous, precious or unusual to display? These ideas can help

FUN HOUZZ There's a Mouse in the House

By Becky Harris

No need for 'eek' and capture schemes. These mouse toys, decals and artistic renderings have all the trappings of cute

DECORATING GUIDES The Dumbest Decorating Decisions I’ve Ever Made

Caution: Do not try these at home

GARDENING GUIDES How I Learned to Be an Imperfect Gardener

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Letting go can lead to a deeper level of gardening and a richer relationship with the landscape. Here's how one nature lover did it

TASTEMAKERS Trend Spotting in Milan

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Many Italian designs debut during April’s Design Week. Have a look at some in the Brera neighborhood that caught one writer’s eye

LIFE Hard Winter? 9 Ways to Battle Cabin Fever

By Becky Harris

We know a lot of you are trapped where it just won’t stop snowing. Here are some ways to survive

I Spy: Oars and Paddles

By Becky Harris

Functional Finds Become Instant Art for Wall, Corner or Door

Sponsored