Once upon a spring pool-cleaning routine in Italy, my kids found themselves face to face with a non-venomous yet sizable serpent named Il Biacco, also known as the green whip snake (correct me if I’m wrong), a member of the colubrid family and a frequent guest in our stone wall. So, who do you call under these circumstances? Ghostbusters? Nah, Mom was the superhero of the hour. Unfortunately, this snake was no fashion accessory – too big for me to casually scoop up.
But fear not, for creativity came to the rescue! I devised a plan involving a strategically placed branch on the pool’s edge, a kind of snake escape route, if you will. Lo and behold, it worked like a charm! Il Biacco, the not-so-slithery pest controller, crawled out and resumed his residency in the deep crevice of our stony fortress, ever-vigilant against the rat and mouse invasion.
Now, some might wonder, why not Ghostbusters? Well, it turns out they’re more into spectral beings than scaly neighbors. As for me, I’ve never been one to shy away from the company of animals or creepy critters. Back in the day, I was the swamp’s fearless explorer, and during summer breaks, my buddies and I embarked on daring bike adventures to capture water snakes. My mom wasn’t thrilled, especially when our scaly friends decided to sunbathe on our front doorstep.
Snakes, in all their limbless glory, never fail to amaze me. Did you know they can climb a tree faster than you can say “snake-charmer”? Nature’s wonders never cease, even when they slither through your pool-cleaning routine.
Stralcio dal sito Valcenostoria – Il biacco (Hierophis viridiflavus) è probabilmente uno dei serpenti più comuni in Italia. Appartiene alla famiglia dei colubridi, e non è affatto una “biscia” anche se non è velenoso.
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Wow! What a story to go with that picture. Snakes have always had a strange fascination for me too. (But from a distance, please!)
Great solution! And we love snakes who keep down the rat/mouse population! You will like this nature story. Last week, my daughter-in-law had her nephews over (grade school). They were out running through the snow in the pasture, up by the ditch. Then came running back down to me to ask if my son had been shooting ducks. ??? I guess they found a headless duck and they thought he had shot it with a shotgun. Everything else was fine. No head, plenty of blood, which shows up well on the snow. I guessed raccoon or coyote, but both would have eaten the meat. Anyway. We don’t know for sure, but I researched, and this is the type of hunting is done by mink, who sneak up under water and grab ducks from below. They do not eat the meat, at least not all the time. Raccoons will grab ducks as well, which I know we have nearby, but they eat the guts and leave the rest. Our ditch is very full with all of the rain/snow/sleet we’ve been having. And mink are all over WA state. So. My best guess. Plenty of other predators, but no one who would just rip off the head and not take the rest of the meal with them. We have seen things, large things, swimming under the murky water. Not pretty, but wow, I was surprised for that to happen right here!
In Italy, the only animal that cuts the head off of their prey leaving it behind and eats the meat are badgers. Strange. No predator in the middle of winter would have left the meat behind.
Right??? Our best guess is mink. It’s pretty mild here right now…so maybe food was not the motivation.
Great story…and comments as well! 🐍
Thanks Sue.