It’s only fair to warn the unenthusiastic that this will be about snakes. So it’s fine to skip if you are not a fan, like my Mom. For those of us who find snakes just as fascinating as everything else out there, this is a brief introduction to the three common snakes in Mississauga that may look brown when you spot them basking on a pathway or trying desperately to get away from you.
NOTE: there are NO venomous snakes living wild in the Toronto area, including Mississauga. Almost any toothed animal will bite if you pick it up or step on it because it is afraid you are going to kill it. The bite will not be venomous though. (Technically something is poisonous if you eat it and that kills or sickens you. Apparently some Garter Snakes are poisonous if they have eaten a lot of prey that contains chemicals that will make humans sick. So don’t eat snakes and then you will be totally safe from them!)
If you look closely, you will see that’s not just a photo of a bush.
Unexpected but Happy Encounters with the DeKay’s Brownsnake in Mississauga
I have had several nice encounters with Dekay’s Brownsnakes in the parks near my home. They are often quite small (think primary pencil thickness) snakes. They are usually hard to spot as they slide away into cover if they think you are approaching too closely.
This one was basking on a dead log well back from the trail. I used a long telephoto lens to take a few photos then moved on. When I passed the same spot a half hour later, it was still there. To me, that’s a victory because it means I did not cause it to waste valuable energy avoiding me.
This is what was in that bush in the firstphoto.
This second one was also warming itself in the sun. However it had moved up to the top of a shrub. I’m sure if I had jostled any of the other shrubs between us, it would simply have dropped down to the ground out of view.
This third one was moving quickly through the tall grass beside the trail. I was trying to get a photo of its face to make the id more complete. You can make out the black facial mark that is pretty common on these snakes in Mississauga.
They like to eat slugs and snails. That should make them a welcome addition to many gardens near me!
My One Encounter with a Red-bellied Snake in Mississauga
This next snake was a first for me. I was walking a clay path near home in the early autumn when I saw a snake lying on the trail ahead. I slowed to a stop and started taking photos, expecting it to dart off at any minute.
The area beside the trail was not vegetated, so I picked my way around in a wide arc. And the snake stayed put! This made my day as the lighting was much better from the opposite direction.
I thought it was a Dekay’s Brownsnake at first but when I was looking at its head and markings I wasn’t sure. So I took lots of photos. I knew Dekay’s are quite variable. Notice that it doesn’t really have the dark spots on the sides I am used to seeing.
It turns out, though, that this was a Red-bellied Snake. They are not uncommon but they are shy and tend to race into cover if they think someone is approaching.
Like DeKay’s they eat small prey like slugs and earthworms.
This Last Snake Can Look Brown
I’ve also seen some Common Watersnakes in Mississauga. These snakes can grow much, much larger than Dekay’s and Red-bellied Snakes. They are pretty variable in colour and can frankly sometimes look dusty and dirty making it even harder to see any pattern.
You may be able to see the typical “roughness” of their scales in this photo of one rapidly swimming away from me.
Note that not every snake swimming is a Watersnake. This one isn’t!
Aside from Garter’s Snakes, these are the only types of snakes I’ve seen in Mississauga. Others have seen Milk Snakes and Greensnakes, though, so I hope to meet some more nice ones over the years.
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Have you had any close encounters of the serpentine kind? Please share your good ones with a comment.