Eastern Garter Snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)  have lived in my garden for years. I have found the shed skins stuck on rose bushes and blowing gently in the wind.

The head of the snake in the photo is beneath the twig. I think is probably more than one in my garden or the snakes are all around the backyards surrounding mine. They must meet up to reproduce.

I like having them around. Garter (sometimes Garden Snakes) eat earthworms, slugs, snails, millipedes, spiders, assorted insects and carrion. It other habitats they might eat salamanders, frogs, toads, small mammals, and other animals.

These snakes can tolerate cool temperatures and I often see them in my garden earlier in the cool weather of spring than I would expect. These snake leaves hibernation in late March or early April.

Would you like to observe Garter Snakes? They are active in the morning, take a siesta midday, and then are active again from early evening from six o’clock until eleven. It is easier to find them while they rest under stones, debris or cover during midday. The snake in the photo was rest in early morning.