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Fruit & Orchards Reptiles & Amphibians

Hanging around the blackberry patch :)

10 months ago

last modified: 10 months ago

This guy peeked his head around the gutter downspout as I was about to water my blackberry patch. Is it an eastern garter snake? It doesn’t seem to match the images I find online. It was small/skinny, like 1/2” diameter, and maybe two feet long. Location is central NY.

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Comments (5)

iochroma
10 months ago
last modified: 10 months ago
Not a garter snake.

I’m not from your side of the world, but to my eye that looks like a fox snake.

If so, a harmless species that might eat your mice.

edit: it looks like the fox snake doesn’t range into C. NY, so maybe an Eastern Milksnake.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
10 months ago
Lucky you to have snakes in the garden.
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party_music50
Original Author
10 months ago
Thank you, iochroma — I do think I see a black outline on the darker blotches, which would agree with Eastern Milksnake. I’ve heard of Milksnakes before but thought they were very large, not skinny and long like this guy!

floral, for all the snakes and neighborhood cats that hang around my house, you’d think I wouldn’t have any chipmunks in the yard or mice come into the house, but I do. I think they’re all lazy. lol!
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
10 months ago
last modified: 10 months ago
“…but thought they were very large…”

They do start off small. ;-)

tj
FrozeBudd_z3/4
10 months ago
I enjoy having plenty of garter snakes in the garden, some visitors sure do get freaked out though upon seeing them, lol.

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