This is a message from the Museumpests List. To post to this list send it as an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe please look at the footer of this email. ----------------------------------------------------------- It is *Storeria dekayi,* formerly known as the DeKay's snake but now unfortunately the official common name is the "Brown snake" (a rather stupid name as it is not brown). These gentle, harmless snakes are common in urban and suburban settings, particularly around human habitations.
DeKay's snakes are active throughout the year when the weather is warm enough. They feed mainly on slugs and earthworms, but sometimes eat insects or insect larvae. They give birth to 2-30 live young (as opposed to laying eggs) in late July or August. Normally these snakes seek out moist areas under flat covers (rocks, metal, wood) to hide in, so the presence of this snake in your basement might indicate a moisture issue, or perhaps just a wandering individual. I have removed snakes from glue boards many times by using mineral oil, which can be worked between the snake and the board, if you have a live one on a glue board that you wish to set free. --John John E. Simmons Museologica 128 E. Burnside Street Bellefonte, Pennsylvania 16823-2010 [email protected] 303-681-5708 www.museologica.com and Adjunct Curator of Collections Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery Penn State University University Park, Pennsylvania and Lecturer in Art Juniata College Huntingdon, Pennsylvania On Fri, May 27, 2011 at 11:34 AM, Joni Joseph <[email protected]>wrote: > This is a message from the Museumpests List. > To post to this list send it as an email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe please look at the footer of this email. > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > Hello Experts, > > > > Can anyone identify this snake? It was on one of our pest monitors in the > basement of an historic home. It is approximately 20 centimeters long. We > want to be certain its family members aren’t a hazard to our guests and > garden staff. > > > > Thank you in advance for the help. > > > > My best, > > > > Joni Joseph > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To send an email to the list, send your msg to [email protected] > > To unsubscribe from this list send an email to [email protected] in > the subject put: > "unsubscribe" - no quotes please. > > You are receiving the Pestlist emails in standard mode. > To change to the DIGEST mode send an > email to [email protected] with this command in the body: > > set mode digest pestlist > > Any problems email [email protected] or [email protected] -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To send an email to the list, send your msg to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this list send an email to [email protected] and in the subject put: "unsubscribe" - no quotes please. You are receiving the Pestlist emails in standard mode. To change to the DIGEST mode send an email to [email protected] with this command in the body: set mode digest pestlist Any problems email [email protected] or [email protected]
