Why did the snake cross the road? Didn’t it feel the vibrations from oncoming traffic?
This maritime garter snake managed to survive being run over by a truck, luckily slipping between the tires. Why was it willing to risk life and limb to get to the other side? Was it looking for something tasty to eat? Snake berries perhaps?
For years I’ve heard both adults and children talk of ‘snake berries.’ Could these be berries that were frequently eaten by snakes?
As children, my sons and their friends used the term to describe the fruit of the bunchberry plant, shown above. It seemed that only the daring among them had ever tried tasting these snake berries. My friend Sandy thought snake berries were blue. Others who knew of snake berries weren’t able to describe the plant in any detail.
After a bit of digging, I discovered that the term is used to describe any berry of questionable edibility. So, if you are in the woods, and see a berry that you’re not sure you can eat, you might choose to call it a snake berry. All snake berries are therefore considered poisonous. By the way, bunchberries are edible. They’re bland with a large pit, but edible nonetheless.
Since the berries shown above are unknown to me and I’m not sure if they’re safe to eat, I’ll call them snake berries until I can learn more about them. And since all snakes are carnivores, there’s no way that they would eat this or any other berry.
So, as to why the snake crossed the road… in Cow Bay, there can only be one answer: it was the pheasants’ day off!
Hahahaha! You are very funny, Amy! 😀
Well done on spotting that snake!
Well Reggie, it wasn’t a puffadder like the one you saw, but seeing any type of reptile here is always a treat.
LOL.
47whitebuffalo, wildlife cracks me up all the time 🙂
Snake berries, eh? It’s a very adaptable term. “Snake fungus” springs to mind. I wonder if I can apply to effluvium politicus? Although I suppose “snake oil” has that covered.
Gerry, it’s quite an adaptable term. I’m sure you’ll have fun with it 😉
Glad the snake made it. Love the photos.
Sybil, I thought for sure I was going to be witness to yet another item on the Roadkill Café menu.
Hilarious, Amy–thanks for the belly laugh!
PS How do you strike out letters, as you so aptly did with “and limb?” ;-D
Joan, there’s an option for striking out letters in WordPress, similar to the option for bold and italic letters. Glad it gave you a laugh 🙂
Fascinating – I never heard the term snake berries before – it’s nice to know what it refers to. Don’t think I’ve ever seen berries like the ones in the last picture. Thanks for the smile today!
Barbara, you’re welcome. The berries in the last picture look so odd because of the red dots on the white background. Very strange to me too.
Was that snake really in Cow Bay? If so, what was it? Should I now be afraid of moving to Nova Scotia?
Lynne, that snake and its many relatives do indeed live in Cow Bay. It’s a maritime garter snake, a type that is quite friendly once you get past the initial biting hello. My oldest son kept one as a pet for a couple of months many years ago. As a boy, my youngest son was frequently catching them as he thought the small ones especially were so cute. They’re nothing to worry about. Really. However, I do still scream if there’s one that surprises me where I’m about to put down my foot as was the case a couple of weeks ago. Sybil was with me and VERY disappointed that she didn’t get to see it too. What a sin!
Could your ‘snake berry’ actually be a Maianthemum, Wild Lily-of-the-Valley?
Love the post. I’ve never seen a snake up here so that could be why I’ve also never heard the term snake berry.
Thanks Cindy, I think you’re right. The following page gives an image of the floral stage which I recognize as one I’ve seen growing in my yard in the spring:
http://www.ontariowildflower.com/deciduous.htm#lilyvalley
The image of the ripe berries in the article was taken in Fielding Park which I’ve actually visited with my mom in Northern Ontario. The berries are indeed considered poisonous.
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