I just had a young but fat black racer jump over my head when I bend down to turn on a hose faucet a couple days ago. That was the most dangerious snake I've encountered in a long time. Like to have given me a heart attack.

This is going to be one of his Christmas presents....he is coming to see me soon and I can't wait! I got him a baseball glove today!Have to get a baseball for it! Have to stock up on his favorite snacks....He called me today to tell me he got my pkg. I sent him a football, and a keyboard and a couple new spiderman shirts and shorts and a fantastic 4 jacket and 2 pairs of shoes and new bookbag he just loved his jacket and told me he was taking all of his school things out of his old bookbag and putting it in his new bookbag.He also said his new shoes had no laces I said no baby 1 pr is sandals and the other are canvas slip ons. he also said I forgot his marshmallows LOL. I seen a real cute pair of spiderman tennis shoes with laces LOL I want to get him but I want to take him with me to get them....he will flip when he sees them. Red

Love the picture, Floral! There are patterns to warn and to hide. This is a hiding pattern. I'm not a herp person so I can't tell you the species but it is one of our very small, northern snakes. The snakes pictured are only as big around and my index finger. Glorified worms in size. They could only eat bugs and tiny amphibians and be prey to birds, larger snakes, and a variety of mammals. Growing up we always called them "garter snakes" or "grass snakes" but neither may be right. We have an old hand-dug well that is no longer used and these snakes den each year in a fair number there. We rarely have these snakes around so they collect up at our place in the fall. And in the cold and frozen North, good winter denning spots would be something to travel for. I don't always see the collection or them waking up and leaving but I've caught it enough times to suspect it happens every year. Here is some pictures from one spring jamboree wake-up that lasted through a whole weekend. Subtle patterns to be sure.

I haven't seen many of these around. I'd wager your rat snakes see you more often than you see them. Every time we notice one, all we see is its tail disappearing into dense cover. It pains us to realize how much our presence terrifies these highly beneficial creatures, but as long as we have neighbors who kill any snake on sight, their fear of man may be justified.