Sunday, May 17, 2015

Rough Green Snake


I have been known life-long for my horror of snakes. When one crosses my path, I instantly screech loudly and levitate.
The presence of a certain shaped stick on the trail or the shuffling of dry leaves in the woods, a length of faded baler twine flung onto the verge of the roadside--all these are apt to provoke the same reaction of shuddering distaste.
I mentioned this once to an elderly friend who nodded sagely and remarked, "We are daughters of Eve, and the remembrance of the serpent lingers."

Trudging up the lane this noon, an over-filled bowl of strawberries clutched in sticky paws, I scanned the shrubbery along the fence line, wondering if I would again see the Brown Thrashers who have been busily building their nests amongst the willows
It was a surprise to note the length of supple green draped horizontally on a section of the wire.
I knew that it was a snake.
 Strangely, its presence a few feet away didn't inspire me to scream, spill the berries, and take flight.  As I watched, the snake moved slowly, gliding toward a clump of blackberry bushes. 


 At the house Jim was unloading the colanders and bowls full of strawberries which he had carefully conveyed on the 4-wheeler. 
'There's a strange snake down the lane, " I announced. 
"What kind of a snake?  What color?" 
"Bright green," I replied, heading inside for my camera. "I think you should have a look." 

We headed back down the lane on the 4-wheeler. I directed Jim to stop a few yards behind where the snake had been. 
At first I thought it had departed, then we spied it resting gracefully beyond the next fence post.  At the last minute my deeply ingrained wariness of all serpent-kind revived and I thrust my camera into Jim's hand. 


The slender green snake was cooperative.  My camera operates differently from Jim's and the green creature waited patiently, seeming undisturbed by our proximity, while Jim fiddled with buttons and I coached from a comfortable distance.
The snake slid along the fence, wound downward through the brambles, poked its head out inquiringly when Jim gently waved his cap a few inches away.

My tentative identification was smooth green snake [Opheodrys Vernalis] --although I went on to read about its 'cousin' the rough green snake [Opheodrys Aestivus.]  The differentiating factor is 'keeled dorsal scales' on the rough green snake.  Our neighbor, Jay Rose, assured me that the rough green is a local species.

The description of 'keeled scales' stayed with me as we hulled, sliced and packaged 18 quarts of strawberries for the freezer.
With the berries tidied away, I braced myself to endure a close up photo online of a serpent with keeled scales--oval scales with a distinctive ridge down the center.
Zooming in on my photos in Picasa, I determined that our resident snake does indeed wear keeled scales.

I'm under no illusion that this interesting encounter will alter my reaction to snakes in general.  I will continue to leave the room if one shows up on the TV screen.  I will surely yelp and jump if I even imagine one is lurking in my path. I will be reluctant to harvest the blackberries when they ripen knowing that our rough green snake has laid claim to the fence along the lane. 


16 comments:

  1. Interesting post about a snake I've never heard of. I envy you the 18 quarts of strawberries - now that all the work is done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lillian; Strawberry season is so brief and intense--we think there is only one variety planted in our 'patch'--so we must appreciate them all at once.
      Re the snake--I'm still marveling that he/she didn't startle the daylights out of me.

      Delete
  2. That's really fascinating, we don't really have many snakes here in u.k. and they are shy thank goodness, we don't get to see them.
    What a beautiful colour this one is, nature comes up trumps again.
    Is it poisonous?
    Briony
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Briony; Kentucky does have some nasty snakes--and I hope NEVER to see one up close and personal. The green ones are reported to be mild-mannered and harmless, although I read that when surprised by a predator they are able to emit a 'foul-smelling' substance. Must be we weren't considered a threat. Thankfully!

      Delete
  3. I would hope never to be close enough to a snake to notice what kind of scales it had! What a wonderful piece of property you have! 18 quarts of strawberries!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jane; It wasn't until I enlarged my photo that I could see the scales--and it did make me rather shudder-y. The strawberries are still coming on, but I think Friday and yesterday were the main crop.

      Delete
  4. The green snake is a pretty color. I don't mind snakes as long as they are not poisonous and they don't startle me in the garden. If I know they are there that's ok but I don't want to reach out and almost grab one. That has happened once or twice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Terra; The startle element is one of the things I don't appreciate in snakes. They have that talent for appearing where/when least expected.

      Delete
  5. I have to admit, that's a pretty snake. However, my snake identification rule of thumb is "if it doesn't rattle, it's a cobra"!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jan; I like your way of ID'ing a snake--it translates to "run in the opposite direction."

      Delete
  6. I'm a snake fan so I enjoyed seeing yours. Whether I would be quite so keen if we had poisonous snakes in the UK I don't know! :o)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's interesting that snakes in the UK are of the non-threatening varieties. there are a number of types in the US that I never want to meet.

      Delete
  7. Quite a pretty snake. I'm not afraid of snakes, but I don't like coming upon them unexpectedly. I've even handled a few through the years, but they're not my favorite of God's creatures.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I only once put a tentative finger on a garter snake a friend was showing to our children. It's skin didn't feel like I expected, but I haven't wanted to repeat the experience.

      Delete
  8. My reaction to snakes is the same as yours, I fear. Here it is the rattlesnake!

    Your lovely single white peony from the previous post is spectacular. My DIL gave me one when we moved here, and it is so lovely right now, - dozens of blooms - so delicate and pure with that amazing golden centre.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hildred; I think there are rattlesnakes throughout the Rocky Mtn region and other nasty kinds which live in the american desert. I walked wary the entire time we lived in Wyoming.
      My peonies have gone over--such a brief and beautiful flowering.

      Delete