The image is familiar to many gardeners, or people who live in a house with the garden: you approach your vases to water the plants and suddenly see a sinuous shape curled up in the shade. The heart accelerates, the instinct suggests to grab a broom or to call help, but before acting it is essential to stop and observe carefully. What might seem like a danger is often a silent ally of our home ecosystem.
Because snakes visit our gardens
Snakes who choose our gardens as a temporary refuge are not random invaders, but visitors with precise biological needs. During the hottest months, these reptiles seek cool and humid places where to rest, especially in the central hours of the day when the sun becomes too intense. The vases, with their shadow and the residual humidity of the watering, represent perfect oasis for a regenerating stop.
The presence of a snake in the garden often indicates an ecosystem in balance. The snakes, in fact, are not only predators, but also part of the food chain that controls the population of rodents and other small animals. Their natural presence contributes to maintaining under control populations of mice, rats and other small mammals that could otherwise damage our crops or infiltrate the homes.
The Innocue Italian species
Italy hosts a rich variety of snakes, most of which are completely harmless to man. Knowing the most common species can transform a moment of fear into an opportunity for naturalistic observation.
Biaco It probably represents the most frequent meeting in Italian gardens. In the third year of age the biaco becomes black on the back and clear in the ventral region. It is recognized for large eyes with round and black pupil. Attend the most disparate environments up to 1,500 meters above sea level. It is easy to find it in the grown land, in the gardens and near the houses. This elegant reptile can reach considerable dimensions, sometimes overcoming the meter in length, but its nature is generally docile and its presence is to be considered beneficial.
Among the most common there are the bisce, like the Natrice from the collar or the Viperine Natrice, which are completely harmless to man. These snakes, usually brown or green, are easily recognizable for their thin shape and the ability to move quickly between the high grass. Nators are particularly attracted to wetlands and could be sighted near fountains, sprinklers or areas of the garden regularly watering.
How to distinguish the harmless from the dangerous
Knowing how to distinguish an harmless snake from a potentially dangerous one is a competence that every lover of gardening should develop. A good way to identify a snake is to observe its coloring, the shape of the body and the size. The head of some poisonous snakes can be more enlarged than the rest of the body, while non -poisonous snakes tend to have a more tapered form.
In Italy, the five species present are distributed in all regions, with the exception of Sardinia, where there are no poisonous snakes. The vipers represent the only family of poisonous snakes in our country. Its characteristics include a triangular head, a short tail and potentially dangerous poison for human beings.
The general appearance is more taper than in other snakes due to the small size and very short tail. This feature, together with the distinctly triangular form of the head, represents the main element of distinction. While harmless snakes have an elegant and tapered silhouette, the vipers show a more compact and robust body, with a head clearly distinct from the neck.
How to behave during the meeting
When you are faced with a snake in your garden, the immediate reaction should be calm observation rather than impulsive action. The snake does not behave aggressively unless he feels threatened. This fundamental principle should guide our every behavior during these close encounters.
Let’s not arm ourselves with Randelli, blades and other objects: most of the snakes we meet, as mentioned, are harmless and all Italian species (Biaco included) are protected by law. They cannot be captured, mistreated or worse killed. In addition to the legal aspects, aggression towards these animals is counterproductive and potentially dangerous. A frightened or threatened snake can react defensively, increasing the possibilities of accidents.
The best approach consists in observing the animal at a safe distance, allowing him to move away spontaneously. In most cases, the snake will naturally move away as soon as it perceives the human presence. If the animal seems reluctant to move, it is possible to encourage it kindly spraying water at a distance or creating mild vibrations in the ground.
Natural prevention: how to make the garden less attractive
Those who prefer to minimize the possibilities of close encounters can adopt some environmental management strategies. The reptiles, such as snakes and lizards, are attracted to food and a fresh and humid hospitable environment where they can hide. So, one of the first things to do is eliminate all possible hiding places in your garden.
Regular maintenance of green spaces represents the most effective method of natural prevention. Keeping the cut grass, removing wood accumulations or building materials, and managing carefully the wetlands can significantly reduce the attractiveness of the garden for these reptiles. However, it is important to remember that a complete elimination of every possible refuge could impoverish the ecosystem of the garden, depriving it of beneficial species.
When the emergency becomes real: how to manage the viper bite
Although the encounters with poisonous snakes are relatively rare, it is essential to know the first aid procedures in case of bite. In the event of a viper bite, two distances distanced from about 6-8 mm are clearly evident on the skin, from which blood-mixed blood comes out, surrounded by a red halo. This distinctive feature can help immediately identify the nature of the bite.
Emergency management requires immediate but weighted calm and actions. It is essential to maintain the grip as possible as possible, remove rings or bracelets from the affected area before the swelling occurs, and immediately contact the health emergency services. It is equally important to avoid potentially harmful popular remedies such as engravings, sucking poison, or the application of hemostatic laces.
How to live with us
Knowledge is the first step to learn to live with what frightens us. In fact, the snakes are almost always frightening only because we don’t know them or until we learn to look at them for what they really are. This reflection invites a fundamental change of perspective: from invaders to fight to legitimate components of the ecosystem to be respected and understood.
The occasional presence of snakes in our gardens is an indicator of biodiversity and environmental health. Rather than trying to completely eliminate them, we can learn to manage these encounters with respect and awareness. A garden that naturally welcomes different forms of life is often a more balanced and resilient garden.
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