Bird dogs are notorious for being able to scent rattlesnakes. I grew up in a bird hunting family, dove, quail and turkeys and I can tell you there's nothing more sickening than having a bird dog on point when quail hunting, and NOT flushing any quail...then you SLOWLY start looking for the rattlesnake, and hope you don't get snakebit. Fortunately for us none of us did suffer but we did kill some really BIG rattlesnakes back then. Not much of an issue here in the burbs now, but being on a brackish lake I do get those d**n moccasins and I do remember the time I almost lost a good bird dog to a moccasin strike to the head, unfortunately they don't scent these snakes. It was a really dry year and the moccasins were coming out of the cypress swamps searching for any water to survive.... Tom

Marcia, Please help me find out what kind of snake I came across today. While I was at the local dog park (near Orlando) I came across a yellow with black stripes snake. It looked to be between 3.5-4 feet long and did not appear at first glance (that was all I gave it out of fear) to be shiny. I was about 3 feet from it and didn't know it until my dog almost stepped on it. She obviously didn't see it either. The snake seemed a pit peeved about the whole thing but it decided not to attack and to slowly slither towards ME to get away from my dog. Needless to say, I took off in a different direction real quick and hollered for my dog to follow. I am not like you or others on this site. I am not a fan of snakes and am extremely afraid of them. Although, I don't mind the black racers that seem to have taken up permanent residence in MY back yard and they love to procreate often (or so it seems). I have seen a lot less field rats since the racers moved in and that makes me very happy. Anyway, can you help me figure out what this snake was? I have spent hours and hours online tonight trying to find it and just can't seem to find anything that looks like it. I am guessing that it is not dangerous to me or my dogs??? I am scared to take my dogs back through those woods that they so dearly love. As soon as I told them, "No more woods until the snakes are gone again," they "told" me to find it if it was dangerous or not and if it isn't that they want to go back again. So that is mostly why I am asking you for your help. We all love the walks but I am afraid of the snakes. Please help me feel safer about going back. Thanks in advance for your help.

thanks for the response, I know that they didn't touch the lights because I keep my plants at 3" to 4" above them, the only thing I'm thinking is that I left the fan on for too long on one day after I water them and the temperature was at 55? I only have 4 of this seedlings with the leaf problem out of the 24 I have growing. I just don't want it to spread if is some kind of virus.

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