infernalis
06-24-2011, 06:19 PM
A few things I have learned along the way to help prevent running over snakes with your mower.
1. Mow in the middle of the afternoon when the sun is at it's apex and the day is at it's hottest.
By that time most Thamnophis and Storeria are in the shade hiding or underground avoiding the heat.
2. keep it mowed short, whenever we get lazy and let the grass grow tall, it attracts more snakes to hunt and prowl about.
Lack of cover equals vulnerability to predators, so the snakes will avoid your neatly groomed lawn.
3. always rake up the clumps of grass that collect when you are done. Snakes can hide under it, and then get mowed when you pass over it next.
4. standing puddles, coy ponds and rock piles are all attractive to snakes, if you have these it may be best to leave some tall grass surrounding those areas, the snakes will hang around in the cover and are less likely to get mowed.
5. DO NOT use any sort of "slug poisons" around flower gardens, Garters & Storeria (brown snakes and red bellies) frequent those areas and may eat poisoned slugs.
Smooth green and rough green snakes can also consume insects covered in poison, so avoid pesticides if possible.
any other ideas??
1. Mow in the middle of the afternoon when the sun is at it's apex and the day is at it's hottest.
By that time most Thamnophis and Storeria are in the shade hiding or underground avoiding the heat.
2. keep it mowed short, whenever we get lazy and let the grass grow tall, it attracts more snakes to hunt and prowl about.
Lack of cover equals vulnerability to predators, so the snakes will avoid your neatly groomed lawn.
3. always rake up the clumps of grass that collect when you are done. Snakes can hide under it, and then get mowed when you pass over it next.
4. standing puddles, coy ponds and rock piles are all attractive to snakes, if you have these it may be best to leave some tall grass surrounding those areas, the snakes will hang around in the cover and are less likely to get mowed.
5. DO NOT use any sort of "slug poisons" around flower gardens, Garters & Storeria (brown snakes and red bellies) frequent those areas and may eat poisoned slugs.
Smooth green and rough green snakes can also consume insects covered in poison, so avoid pesticides if possible.
any other ideas??