That Worm in your Garden could be a Snake

A few weeks ago, it rained in Bengaluru for several days. Returning home one evening during the wet spell, I heard a commotion in our back garden. Wondering what was causing such a ruckus, I headed out only to find something that looked like a tiny black worm at the centre of a circle of people. When I wondered what the fuss was about, my mother informed me that what I was looking at wasn’t a harmless worm, but a baby snake.

Snakes tend to cause mothers a lot of worry. My mum is a bit superstitious, so even though snakes are considered an avatar of god, a visit home by one of them isn’t considered too auspicious. In fact, it can indicate the coming of a long period of bad luck. Several rules govern the visit: You cannot kill the snake, but you may offer it milk.

While my mother figured out what to do, I sent a photo of the little critter to a naturalist friend who told me that our visitor is called a Brahminy snake. These snakes are blind, and often visit gardens with a healthy ecosystem after a spell of rain.

So, the next time you see a thin black ‘worm’ wriggling about in your garden after the rains, do give it a second look. Who knows what you might find!

What to do if you spot a snake in your garden?

• Do not panic.
• It is rare to find a snake out in the open. They are territorial, and mostly travel unnoticed, and try their best to avoid humans. Read this story to learn about snakes that live close to human settlements, and around urban areas.
• The best thing you can do is to give it space so it can escape.
• If the snake must be captured, remember to call a professional snake handler and do not attempt to catch it yourself.
• Some snakes will help keep pests (like rodents) under control and relocating a snake far away may invite more pests.
• Lastly, it is good to learn to identify the common snakes – venomous and non-venomous. Use a good field guide for this and do not handle snakes!

Photo source