It's been years since I have seen one of these...

farmerjohn · Sep 20, 2014

I see them at the fair and other places along the road occasionally but on my own property it has probably been over 20 years since I saw one hanging out on the barnbridge. It was not real big, maybe 3 feet, sunning itself on the road. I got a stick and pushed it in the ditch so it wouldn't get run over by a car.

Bob Harvey · Sep 20, 2014

O.K., I give, what kinda snake is it ?

Charllie in MO · Sep 20, 2014

Black snake, mousers

Anonymous-0 · Sep 20, 2014

The only good snake is a dead snake.
I run over them whenever I can.

Fergienewbee · Sep 20, 2014

Snakes have a job to do too. I no longer kill any snakes and actually look forward to having them around. 'course we don't have any of the vipers in our area.

Larry

Leroy · Sep 20, 2014

Agree

Greg1959 · Sep 20, 2014

Charllie in Mo..Sorry to dis-agree. There is no such thing as a Black snake species. Yes, there are "black" phases of snakes. The one pictured above looks like a "black" phase Rat snake.

Although you are correct, they are great mousers!

Charllie in MO · Sep 20, 2014

I'm from SW MO, black snake is as definitive as it gets.

)

pete 23 · Sep 20, 2014

I try to run over any snake I see if safe to do so. I will find other ways to control the rodent population. Heard on the news today that someone spotted a small alligator in a swampy area. Didn't hear where it was for sure but I got the idea it was from around this northern area. After a deputy was called, located it, and some prodding, determined it was a plastic toy.

IH2444 · Sep 20, 2014

(quoted from post at 19:15:00 09/20/14) Charllie in Mo..Sorry to dis-agree. There is no such thing as a Black snake species. Yes, there are "black" phases of snakes. The one pictured above looks like a "black" phase Rat snake.

Although you are correct, they are great mousers!

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/forestryextension/kysnakes/snake-details/black-racer/

Greg1959 · Sep 20, 2014

IH2444- Yup that is a Black racer of the 'Coluber constrictor' species. It's not a "black snake'. They are quite a few "Coluber constrictos" that go through the 'black" phase throughout their lifespan. Although, there is not a snake listed as a "Black Snake", you may find some listings calling the 'black racers', 'black cottonmouths', 'black kings', 'black rats', etc. It's a color phase the snake is going through. Just try looking for a Species name for "Black Snake". There is no such critter.
HTH
Greg

NCWayne · Sep 20, 2014

"Black" snakes are common around here, be they black racers, corn snakes, king snakes, or whatever. Regardless of what kind they are, as long as they don't have a triangular head, indicating they are poisonous, I leave them alone. Given that we have plenty of the poisonous kinds around here, and the fact that the 'black' snakes are really territorial and will kill the others, along with keeping the rodent population under control, I figure it's best to live and let live because they do me a favor just being around and doing what comes natural to them.

Greg1959 · Sep 20, 2014

NcWayne- I mean no disrespect to you. What would you do if you encountered this black colored snake with a triangular head in your area? They are very common in your 'neck' of the woods.

It's black and has a triangle shaped head...

Just asking

Greg

GeneMO · Sep 20, 2014

(quoted from post at 17:53:35 09/20/14) "Black" snakes are common around here, be they black racers, corn snakes, king snakes, or whatever. Regardless of what kind they are, as long as they don't have a triangular head, indicating they are poisonous, I leave them alone. Given that we have plenty of the poisonous kinds around here, and the fact that the 'black' snakes are really territorial and will kill the others, along with keeping the rodent population under control, I figure it's best to live and let live because they do me a favor just being around and doing what comes natural to them.

A triangular head has nothing at all to do with them being venemous. A venemous snake has a "pit" on its face (pit viper), and its eyes have a "slit" pupil. Not a round pupil like non-venemous snakes. Many snakes will flatten their bodies and heads when threatented but that has nothing to do with them being venemous.

Greg1959 · Sep 20, 2014

All of you have special knowledge of many things. Heck, someone can post a pic of a tractor, implement or truck covered in weeds and you can tell them the make a model.

I admire that. I understand we all have our niches in the overall knowledge of everyday things.

Greg

Pair-a-dice farm · Sep 20, 2014

I don't mind that kind of snake, there are a few that I leave alone as long as they stay away from the house. Here in Arkansas we have every poisonous snake that is native to the US except the coral snake. The most common here is the copperhead but rattlesnakes and cottonmouths are very common. Seeing all 3 in one day isn't unusual.

NEKS · Sep 20, 2014

I have been around for a lot of years and we called them black snakes all my life. Did have a rat snake wrap himself around and go up metal pole and was getting the eggs out of a Purple Martin house. He died at my feet under my spade.

IH2444 · Sep 20, 2014

(quoted from post at 20:50:29 09/20/14)
IH2444- Yup that is a Black racer of the 'Coluber constrictor' species. It's not a "black snake'. They are quite a few "Coluber constrictos" that go through the 'black" phase throughout their lifespan. Although, there is not a snake listed as a "Black Snake", you may find some listings calling the 'black racers', 'black cottonmouths', 'black kings', 'black rats', etc. It's a color phase the snake is going through. Just try looking for a Species name for "Black Snake". There is no such critter.
HTH
Greg

it is a snake and it is black

It is also black all the time after it is an adult. Baby deer have spots adults do not, etc.

tractorguy2 · Sep 20, 2014

I try very hard to kill any snake i see. grandpa had bull snakes in all his sheds. they did nothing for the mice. They would rather climb in the rafters and eat bird eggs.

ShadetreeRet · Sep 20, 2014

Eliminates confusion too. If it's black, it is a "black snake".

john in la · Sep 20, 2014

"A venemous snake has a "pit" on its face (pit viper), and its eyes have a "slit" pupil"

Really
What about a coral snake.
It is not a pit viper so no pits and it has round pupil eyes.

There are only 4 kinds of venomous snakes in the U.S.
If you can learn to identify them everything else is non-venomous.
They are...
Cottonmouths
Copperheads
Rattlesnakes
Coral snakes

uncle henry · Sep 20, 2014

Red Touch Yellow, Kills a Fellow
Red Touch Black, Venom Lack

sourgum · Sep 20, 2014

That snake has what I call a "round" head, not a triangular shape head. Look at the head of a rattlesnake, their heads do not look round or oval or anything like that black snake. Also 90% of people are not going to get close enough to a snake's head to see if his pupils are vertical slits or not. A poisonous snake will have somewhat of a bulging head behind his mouth even when not excited or agitated. The bulging head and narrower mouth give it the "appearance" of a triangle. It maybe that not all triangular headed snakes are poisonous, but that is a strong indicator that the snake is not to be messed with and can be a reliable indentifier from a safe distance that that snake maybe poisonous. When I see any snake that I don't know what it is I pay very close attention to the shape of the head from a distance as I think most people do.

2x4 · Sep 21, 2014

cottonmouth?

Roy in UK · Sep 21, 2014

Plastic alligator! I just love stories like that! :
"What a hoot! RSPCA officers spend two hours trying to rescue plastic owl" R.S.P.C.A. = Royal Society for prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Maybe they should supply RSPCA officers with a pair of binoculars each
Plastic Owl Fools RSPCA Officer
:roll:

Fergienewbee · Sep 21, 2014

In Michigan the only venomous snake is the Massasauga rattler. I think they are very rare and pint-sized compared to the diamondbacks and others.

Larry

Bret4207 · Sep 21, 2014

We have "black snakes" here too. Whatever they are, we have some that will stretch from one side of a lane and a half road to the other. I don't go out of my way to kill them since they mostly hand around the swamps. But when you run onto one by surprise it can sure make the day exciting... :shock:

Greg1959 · Sep 21, 2014

2X4- It's a Eastern Hog nosed snake aka Puff adder.

redforlife · Sep 21, 2014

Its quit common for snakes to be on the road this time of year. Other times of the year they pretty much stay off the road but are around. They are doing this because the road surface is warm and the weather is cooling off.

It's been years since I have seen one of these...

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