3 Smaugettes

I saw 3 snakes down by the lake in May. I believe they are all eastern rat snakes. They are nonvenomous, as are all the snakes in these parts, excepting the copperhead, which I haven't seen around here. They could still give you a bite if you step on or handle them, which I wouldn't presume to do. Poor things were scared enough. I wasn't quite as close as my macro lense makes it look, so if you're a worrier, don't worry.


This young rat snake was a little over a half inch in diameter and 2 to 3 feet long. Ze was stretched across the path between the back parking lots of the fire station and St Hugh's Church, holding still and hoping I would mistake hir for a wavy stick, which I did at first. I love how this snake is stretched out and yet evenly kinked along hir whole length. Such a cute wave. And ze has a lovely oil slick pearlescent sheen in the sun.

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