Western Fox Snake Is Our Friend Venomous snakes do not inhabit Northeast Wisconsin. Among our best partners in nature is this western fox snake, natural controller of rodents. Our nature class at Rock Island State Park yesterday was treated to the best look at a western fox snake that we’ve enjoyed in several years. What made the discovery even more interesting was that it was our friend, Sherry, suffering from macular degeneration, who first saw the highly camouflaged snake lying in the sun along the wooded trail. Immediately I got my digital camera readied for pictures while the group moved in for closer looks at the gorgeous reptile. As expected, the cornered creature vigorously vibrated its tail causing the dust and small bits of debris to be noticeably moved about. Little wonder that so many unsuspecting people, suddenly and unintentionally cornering this snake, are led to believe they have encountered a genuine rattlesnake. Surely this snake could be included among the least troublesome and most inoffensive animals native to Wisconsin that are so frequently killed. Invariably the act is quite brutal as well as needless and thoughtless. My estimation is that few creatures cause people to "jump to conclusions" or run in the opposite direction for a big stick more than does the western fox snake. Not many people in this region have ever heard of a fox snake. Call it a pine snake, however, and they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about. Natives of Ohio would refer to these mouse-catchers as timber snakes while others might use the name of spotted adder. The real northern pine snake, a large black and white creature with a noisy hiss, ranges from southern Kentucky through the Carolinas into northeastern Georgia. This species grades into another, the Florida pine snake, a more southern reptile. All are large powerful constrictors capable of hissing loudly, vibrating their tails nervously and scaring the stew out of many people. Our highly beneficial western f ox snake belongs to the genus Elaphe (EL-a-fee) which includes the corn snake, rosy rat snake of the South, Great Plains rat snake, the black rat snake or pilot black snake of southwestern Wisconsin, and several other species. All are considered to be highly valuable controllers of rodents such as rats and mice. Unfortunately our fox snake has three strikes against it when first come upon by so many people. Adult fox snakes have a light tan head resembling oxidized copper. Obviously this makes them dangerous, venomous copperheads that must be killed immediately. Real copperheads DO NOT naturally occur in Wisconsin. Its second strike lies with its boldly blotched skin, usually chocolate to black spots and blotches on a yellowish to tan ground color. This combination, along with its third strike, signals RATTLESNAKE, and out comes a shovel or hoe and within seconds the best mouser most people ever had lies mangled and dead. The third strike against the lowly, misunderstood fox snake is its habit of nervously vibrating its tail especially when the animal is cornered or suddenly confronted by a person. What else could it possibly be but a genuine rattler? Yes, timber rattlesnakes do occur in southwestern Wisconsin but have never been found under natural circumstances in northeastern Wisconsin. One of our friends a few years ago insisted that a "pine snake" he came upon was at least eight feet or longer (96 inches!). Experts claim that our race, the western fox snake, does not exceed 61 inches while its eastern cousin grows to 65 inches in length. Most people, including myself, tend to exaggerate considerably when describing a snake, somewhat like the fish that got away! The angles of the belly scales on the fox snake enable them to climb trees and posts very well. Indeed, their prey includes baby birds as well as eggs, especially those of ground-nesting birds. My recommendation is that you install metal baffles on your bird house poles if you think fox snakes inhabit your property. Also mounting your houses on smooth metal poles, such as electrical conduit, or two-inch plastic (PVC) poles, placed over iron electric-fence posts driven into the ground, will prevent the snakes from climbing to the birdhouses. The settling and clearing of lands is obviously hard on the snake population. Unfortunately too many people who retire from the city to a predominantly rural area immediately set about to get rid of the brush piles, "messy" old rocks and fallen trees and all other obstacles that stand in the way of tidiness and progress. Sterile uninteresting expanses of lawn do not go hand in hand with diversity of wildlife and plants. Obviously I’m not against producing the clearing needed for building a home in the woods, or even a small amount of lawn, somewhat like a frame around a picture, but please leave the remainder quite natural. And by all means allow the fox snakes and other reptiles to be your natural, cost-free rodent controllers. This column appeared in the Door County Advocate on 06/14/2003. © Copyright 2003 Roy Lukes. All rights reserved.