Snakes on terrain: The skinny on Massachusetts species

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As of deadline, the city of Attleboro shared reports of a possible venomous snake in Attleboro, with city officials urging caution after reports of bites two at least two dogs. MassWildlife has not confirmed any reports of venomous snakes. Worcester Magazine and Telegram & Gazette are following information, and will post any relevant updates to worcestermag.com and telegram.com.
For Christine Sparks, it was beautiful to behold.
Sparks is a volunteer with the Greater Worcester Land Trust, who leads group hikes with GWLT stewardship coordinator Olivia Houde, focusing on native plants.
In June 2024, while at Nick's Woods, a tranquil, forested place in the northern area of Worcester, Sparks made the acquaintance of a small, elegant garter snake. "I was up the glacial erratics, and found this beauty basking in the sun," said Sparks. Glacial erratics are rocks or boulders moved by glaciers long, long ago, and deposited to their present site. Which, if you are a garter snake, might be providential, as it allows places to scoot away and hide, as well as to crawl onto for a bit of sun and warmth.
"Quietly, I sat down on the ground next to the snake. We spent some time observing each other," said Sparks, who related her story in a message on social media, where she had posted some photos and a video. "I find snakes are gentle and curious creatures." The snake flickered its tongue, as snakes are wont to do, which to a human might signal an ominous portent. For the snake, it's a way to gather sensory information about its surroundings.
"It's interesting to think of observing the world via a different mode," said Sparks. "This is one seemed intrigued by my presence. It's always a treat to see a snake in the wild." Along with garter snakes, Sparks has seen quite a few water snakes, corn snakes and rat snakes.
"I have a special fondness for snakes," said Sparks. "Years ago, a large, black rat snake made its home by my front steps. It was like a pet to me. I would bring a book outside, and read. The snake would curl up by my feet, like a dog."
Snakes as pets? Learn state rules https://www.mass.gov/guides/wildlife-as-pets
If Sparks has cultivated a way to commune with snakes while respecting their need for calm and safety, this might prove trickier both for people who love snakes, and who want to get as far away from them as possible.
And I will freely disclose: I love snakes. Their beauty, their grace, their mystery. Seeing one is always a thrill, and they continue to hold a welcome place in my heart.
But first, a bit about what snakes are, and where they come from. In scientific terms, they belong, along with lizards, to a classification of reptiles known as squamates, or the order, "squamata." Sounds impressive, right? It basically means, "scaly." With some 12,000 or so species, it's an order not to be sneezed at; their origins reaching back as far as perhaps 250 million years.
And, as with a lot of animals that date before our time as humans, we're learning more about them, including, as in an article published in 2022 in Nature, through the discovery of fossils that lend clues to their true triumph of diversity.
"First, despite Hollywood's depiction, the snakes you find on Trust lands are safe, somewhat shy, and generally helpful. They are an important part of the land management staff," said Colin Novick, executive director of the Greater Worcester Land Trust. "Second, seeing snakes is generally a good sign of the health of the local habitat. There are enough insects, small mammals, and hiding spots to make it possible for snakes to live there. This is really a great sign."
There is no doubt: snakes strike an emotive chord, carrying a collective weight of millennia of folklore and superstition. And, an evolutionary biologist might argue, a bit of good sense: our human, hunter-gatherer ancestors spent most of their lives outdoors, and accidentally stepping on, say, a cobra, could really mess up your day.
We love, fear, respect and adore them, often without middle ground. Scroll through posts in any wildlife group on Facebook, for example, and you will find a sprinkling of posts, sometimes with a slightly blurred photo, focusing on a garden or porch, and a request for help, to wit: How do I get this thing off my property?
From a conservation standpoint, extreme fear and adoration of snakes can and do put fragile species at risk.
This includes here in Massachusetts, home to some 14 species of snakes, most of whom post no threat to people or pets.
"Especially in the Worcester area, Metro West and 495, there are simply no venomous or harmful snakes," said Michael Jones, herpetologist with Mass Wildlife. The state is home to only two venomous species -- the copperhead, which makes its home nestled in the hills of western Massachusetts, and the timber rattler, whose sparse inhabitance includes the Blue Hills Reservation. "There are two in the state, both endangered, and both very rare. You will only find them in the mountainous areas," said Jones.
Snake venom's main purpose is for hunting prey, which might include small rodents or other creatures, depending on the snake species. Nonvenomous snakes include constrictors, that literally suffocate their prey; still other snakes might simply snap up an animal small enough. All eat their prey whole, and it's perhaps these various means of hunting that freak some people out.
Endangered denotes high risk factors for extinction, including low population count, loss of habitat, and frequency of hazards, including those posed by humans, such as habitat encroachment, and motor vehicle strikes.
Species at risk such as these two need understanding, and respect for their needs. If some people find snakes, any snakes, completely terrifying, there is also the opposite problem: people who love them so much, they just have to see one in the wild. Don't take this personally: neither the copperhead nor timber rattler needs hugs, pats, or selfies. Jones said even seeking them out could disrupt their home and habits.
"With copperheads and rattlers, there is a lot of potential for damage, without meaning to," Jones said. "They are tied to features they have probably used for hundreds and thousands of year. We are trying to create barriers, such as limiting recreational areas, where they winter over, or give birth, or gave them more space, because human behaviors can influence those snakes."
If you're wondering why the heck venomous snakes live here at all, Jones said, at one time, both species once had larger ranges, with a preference for bedrock. What remains for both species are tiny islands of space. The rest is gone, said Jones, mostly to clearing space for human development and agriculture, and removing or killing individual snakes in the name of safety, or making the area more conducive to humans and their pets and farm animals.
"I think that is a very common misconception that this is not rattlesnake habitat," said Jones. "If you look at the historical record, and town histories, county histories, it is clear they were there, they were very widespread, and abundant, around the state — including Essex County, Peabody, Lynn, Manchester ... they were very widespread in the Connecticut River Valley."
And now? "I think we are reaching a point where some of our specialized and rare habitats are so fragmented and degraded, they can't tolerate much more foot traffic, and they need more space," Jones said. "I think we all need to think of what are own personal ethics are around observing wildlife."
But when a snake, perhaps especially a large one, makes an appearance in someone's yard, cases of mistaken identity are common. Some venomous and nonvenomous snakes have similar markings and colors. The milk snake and water snake are sometimes misidentified, including as the cottonmouth, a venomous snake that lives far from here, in the southeastern U.S.
"I think there is a lack of familiarity with them," said Jones. "If everyone in the Commonwealth understood that they are abundant, there would be far less questions. These are two snakes that startle people, both very harmless. They are found statewide. If you see one, you are seeing a very small part of the population area."
Another snake that gets a lot of buzz: the racer. "Beautiful, glossy, very big black snake, and it's completely harmless," Jones said. "It would bite you if you caught it, but it is hard to catch." The sensation is like a really bad paper cut said Jones, who said he's gotten his share of bites. Not because they graze on humans, but biting is one of the few defenses a snake has.
So, you find a snake in your yard; your friends assure you it will probably move along on its own and that it's not after you, your child or dog. But you don't like it, and want to dispatch it, anyway. Jones said, the snake is likely a consumer of mice, rats and other disease vectors, so not only will not hurt anyone, it may actually do some good.
And if you want to do something to help snakes?
"Overall, I think it's great when people are interested in snakes, and see them, and document them," said Jones. "
Meaningful ways to contribute include a bit of citizen science. "If you see road kill, like water snakes and racers, that can be important information," said Jones. "Submit that info to a naturalist."
If you find a snake in your yard, you can give it safe quarter by putting out some plywood planks where it might take shelter. This allows a way to observe it without encroaching. "I personally think that is an ethical way to observe it. This just gives them a place to take cover."
Woo! Science is a column of science news and newsmakers in Worcester and the region. Got a science news idea? Email Margaret Smith at [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Woo! Science: Timber rattlers and other snakes need a fair 'shake'