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.

Katkin, Wanda, Lenette, Cindea, Felix, Treelady, thanks! The book really is fabulous, I highly recommend it. There are accounts of sailors coming ashore from shipwrecks in the early 1900s - all nationalities and with very little clothing left (much less skin) after traversing all of the coral to get to shore. The keepers were paid 25 cents a meal, 2 meals a day for aliens, but nothing for feeding American shipwreck victims, and nothing for clothing. Treelady, I do know about those spouts. A few years ago my brother and sister-in-law were visiting here. On New Years Day, we went there at 7:00 a.m. I asked my sister-in-law if she'd like me to take a picture of her on the coral, and she got guysered while posing! That was the first time I'd been there at high tide, and she absolutely didn't believe me that I didn't "set her up"! Cindea, sounds like an amazing trip to Pine Island Sound. Thanks for sharing! Next selection is "Jonathan Dickinson's Journal", which is the oldest book written by an American about America and published in America. Its a "true story of shipwreck and torture on the Florida Coast in 1696" and has been published in many different languages. Thought I'd mention it since ya'll expressed interest in Florida history.

Good for you!

Excellent snakes!!! I found a timber similar to that one squashed on the highway in Gallatin county on Saturday morning. That was so sad. I really wanted to turn up a red milk like yours - but no luck. Damn, I wish I wouldn't have wasted so much time on Saturday, I am so jealous of those of you who found horridus. Matt --------------------------------------------------------------------------------