February 5, 2016<\/p>\n
The Big Snake<\/p>\n
Recently I received an email from a Good-Natured reader who lives in Batavia.<\/p>\n
As I recall, we were corresponding about a seasonal topic–owls, I believe–but<\/p>\n
then she asked a summertime question that, even in the midst of winter, still<\/p>\n
seems to be on many people’s minds: What ever happened with the Big Snake?<\/p>\n
You may remember, last August, Geneva found itself in the spotlight when<\/p>\n
someone saw what appeared to be a venomous cottonmouth, Agkistrodon<\/p>\n
piscivorus. (Time out for some Latin fun: Agkistrodon means fish hook tooth<\/p>\n
and piscivorus means fish eater. What a perfect name for a snake that spends its<\/p>\n
life eating fish, and frogs, and other critters that live near water.)<\/p>\n
The story goes, a roofer working on a house in south Mill Creek noticed what<\/p>\n
he described as a large, dark-bodied snake curled up on some mulch. A photo<\/p>\n
was sent to the Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn, and the staff there<\/p>\n
identified the snake in the picture as a cottonmouth. Venomous, for sure, and<\/p>\n
not normally found in this area.<\/p>\n
From there, let’s see, how do I say this? All heck broke loose.<\/p>\n
News media were alerted and, as quick as you could say fish-hook toothed fish<\/p>\n
eater, reporters descended on the once-peaceful neighborhood. Mini-cam vans<\/p>\n
parked and raised their antennas. Glaring TV lights switched on. Microphones<\/p>\n
in hand, wide-eyed reporters spoke of a very large and potentially deadly snake<\/p>\n
On. The. Loose.<\/p>\n
It didn’t take long for a localized hysteria to break out. Snakes of all types fell<\/p>\n
under suspicion. A wildlife removal team was called in. Traps were laid in the<\/p>\n
area where the Big Snake was sighted.<\/p>\n
Reptile enthusiast that I am, I couldn’t resist stopping by the neighborhood<\/p>\n
where all this action was taking place. What I learned from casual conversations<\/p>\n
was that some folks were afraid to let their kids play outdoors. I even spoke with<\/p>\n
one gentleman who tore out several shrubs and replaced them with sod, lest<\/p>\n
the snake slither over to his backyard.<\/p>\n
As I walked around that hot afternoon, one week after the initial sighting, I noted<\/p>\n
a couple things. One, the temperature was nearly 30 degrees warmer than it<\/p>\n
had been the day the snake was seen.<\/p>\n
Now, most people know that snakes are cold blooded. But what that term really<\/p>\n
means is, they rely on ambient temperatures to heat and cool their bodies. And,<\/p>\n
contrary to popular belief, snakes can get too warm.<\/p>\n
The day the snake was first spotted, temperatures were in the 60s\u2014great for<\/p>\n
working on a roof, not so great if your body relies on an external source for<\/p>\n
heat. The snake in question had needed to be out basking in order to warm its<\/p>\n
body enough to function.<\/p>\n
The week I visited, though, temperatures were in the 90s. While I was foolishly<\/p>\n
out walking around, baking, the snake was no doubt laying low, waiting for<\/p>\n
things to cool off a bit.<\/p>\n
This large, dark snake is a northern<\/p>\n
water snake, one of the most<\/p>\n
common species in our area. Colors<\/p>\n
vary widely among individuals, with<\/p>\n
some snakes appearing brown and<\/p>\n
others almost black.<\/p>\n
The other thing I noticed was that, given the habitat of the surrounding area, a snake could do quite well for itself.<\/p>\n
Abundant food in the form of fish and frogs flipped and plopped in the nearby retention pond. Not far away, in the larger<\/p>\n
pond complex by the clubhouse, I saw great blue herons, green herons and white egrets\u2014all at once. To have this many<\/p>\n
animals that eat fish, frogs and other aquatic creatures, in the same place at the same time, indicated there was plenty of<\/p>\n
food to go around\u2014not just for birds, but for snakes too. Interesting.<\/p>\n
I didn’t see the Big Snake, nor any snake for that matter, on that particular, and particularly hot, day.<\/p>\n
Time wore on and I got busy doing other things, but monitored the situation via Facebook. A number of garter snakes<\/p>\n
were trapped and removed, which is unfortunate. Even though they were “relocated,” the timing could not have been<\/p>\n
worse. A month or so away from hibernation, these snakes\u2014which typically return to the same hibernaculum, or<\/p>\n
hibernation location, year after year\u2014were released in an unfamiliar area with little time to acclimate or find shelter for the<\/p>\n
coming cold weather.<\/p>\n
As the garters were being caught and removed, some residents expressed concern that the rodent population would<\/p>\n
increase. Which, by the way, is a valid point. Garters might not be constrictors, and aren’t capable of taking down an adult<\/p>\n
mouse. But they do a bang-up job feeding on young rodents\u2014especially those that have not yet left the nest.<\/p>\n
In a somewhat humorous turn\u2014one that also indicates a misunderstanding of natural processes–another resident<\/p>\n
responded that the neighborhood doesn’t have a rodent problem, but rather a snake problem.<\/p>\n
Also of note, it was learned that the photo submitted to Willowbrook wasn’t actually taken at the scene. It was an image<\/p>\n
taken from the internet.<\/p>\n
The days turned into weeks, but there were no more reports of a large, dark snake in the area.<\/p>\n
In hopes of preventing future reptile-inspired panics, I contacted my friend Trish Burns, who manages Peck Farm Park in<\/p>\n
Geneva. We put together a program on snake identification and scheduled it for late October. No one signed up.<\/p>\n
Since then, the weather has cooled considerably. The snakes in our area, no doubt including the Big One in Geneva, are<\/p>\n
hibernating til spring.<\/p>\n
So what kind of snake do I think it was? Well, without a photo or other direct evidence, we can never be 100% positive.<\/p>\n
People can, and do, release things that are not native to our area.<\/p>\n
But given the nearby aquatic habitat, the available food, and the knowledge of what is normal and usual for this area, I’d<\/p>\n
have to say the critter that caused the stir was none other than Nerodia sipedon, our very common northern water snake.<\/p>\n
For what it’s worth, I’d very much like to return to the Mill Creek area this spring, to see just what sorts of snakes I can find.<\/p>\n
If that works out I’ll let you know in a future column. With pictures that aren’t from the internet.<\/p>\n
Pam Otto is the manager of nature programs and interpretive services at the Hickory Knolls Discovery Center, a facility of<\/p>\n