Snake Cover Boards
Have you gone out to your wood pile to retrieve a log, and
end up disturbing a creature that was using that log as a home? You’re likely
not alone. Snakes, like many other animals, tend to use woody debris as
shelter. While some are quite put off by the idea of critters living in regularly
accessed wood piles, we used it to our advantage.
In order to get an understanding of species richness (what
kinds of snakes) and abundance (how many snakes) are here in Litchfield/Morris,
we established 30 “snake cover board” piles around the property. The cover boards
consist of slab wood, left over from saw mill operations, that were cut to about
2 foot long sections.
Where can you find these snake cover boards? They have
been placed around the edge of the various fields that White Memorial maintains
within its wooded property. These fields act as vital habitat for many species,
and the snakes are likely to be found there as there is ample sun, food, and shelter.
It may not look like much, but that small brown spot in the grass in the middle of the photo is the pile. It could be easily overlooked if not being actively looked for.
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| Common Garter Snake Photo: CT DEEP |
What species of snake are found in the piles? We regularly encounter
the Common Gartersnake (Thmnophis s.
sirtalis) and Red-bellied Snake (Storeria
o. occipitomaculata).
 |
| Red-bellied Snake Photo: Tom Tyning WesternMassnaturalist.org |
If you’d like to check a snake cover board out, there is an
easily accessed one on the main property of White Memorial. It is between the
saw mill and Ongley Pond. It is the one pictured here. Snakes are likely to be
found in the warm summer months.
For more information about Connecticut's snakes, see CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Here is a link to their page on Snakes.
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