Green Anole Males doing battle. They got after it, the bottom lizard won.

Since we’re on the topic…

I shooed with some difficulty this Plain Bellied Water Snake out of the garage moments ago, but not before it did its best impersonation of an angry water moccasin and a skunk. My wife asked me what in the world stinks so bad in the garage, it was musk of this snake.

No snakes allowed in the garage. They are welcome in the garden.

Going lazy this year. Found some plastic in the garage and ordered some Automator trays. Just need to add the cages now.

karstopography wrote: ↑Mon Apr 21, 2025 6:53 pm IMG_6092.jpeg

I shooed with some difficulty this Plain Bellied Water Snake out of the garage moments ago, but not before it did its best impersonation of an angry water moccasin and a skunk. My wife asked me what in the world stinks so bad in the garage, it was musk of this snake.

No snakes allowed in the garage. They are welcome in the garden.

The shape of that snakes head would sure get it mistaken as poisonous.

pondgardener wrote: ↑Tue Apr 22, 2025 9:32 am

karstopography wrote: ↑Mon Apr 21, 2025 6:53 pm IMG_6092.jpeg

I shooed with some difficulty this Plain Bellied Water Snake out of the garage moments ago, but not before it did its best impersonation of an angry water moccasin and a skunk. My wife asked me what in the world stinks so bad in the garage, it was musk of this snake.

No snakes allowed in the garage. They are welcome in the garden.

The shape of that snakes head would sure get it mistaken as poisonous.

I believe the snake is counting on that as a defense. Funny, before it was threatened by our mutual surprise seeing each other in the garage, the snake’s head is narrow like a non venomous type. This snake has the ability to flare out its head when it feels cornered. Early on, I took good look at this snake just to be sure. Plain belly, check, head shape prior to the threatening mode was narrow, check. Round pupils, check.

The snake got in behind my kayak and our corn hole and washer game boards and I was moving all the stuff around to get to the snake. I used a kayak paddle to gently encourage the snake to vacate the premises, but I don’t think the snake thought I was being quite gentle enough. It lunged at me several times, mouth wide open just like a cottonmouth.

The natural oxbow lake I live on has three species of water snakes. Plain bellied, broad banded and diamondback. My friend that hates snakes says they all look like water moccasins and they all kind of do. Not sure why, but I’ve yet to see a water moccasin on this lake in fifty years of living here, but they are certainly nearby. Saw a bona fide water moccasin while kayaking on the Brazos River not two miles away in the autumn of 2024. This viper was swimming on the surface and paused immobile as a slowly slid by. We both got a real good look at each other.

Neighbors' Magnolia in magnificent full bloom: The Gotch

Squash Vine Borer adult up close. Handsome, even when a little smashed up.

I somehow managed to catch up to this one hovering around my squash. My Tempest squash looks like it’s on its way out thanks to the SVB.

The Mandevilla from last year has come roaring back to life.

The Zinnias are starting to pop.