Snake Repellent ???

This past week has given us somewhat cooler temps and quite a bit of rain. Very unusual for the Dallas area deep in the summer. We will make up for up next week though as the temps are expected back in the 100's.

Usually rainy weather brings us very unwelcome slithering visitors. We never found the cottonmouth. We are thinking all the activity in our yard with the tree falling and crew coming to take it down made the snake decide to head on down the road. My snake story circulating around my office, and one of my programming friends (who had a visitor herself) found a product at Tractor Supply for us to try. (Thanks Karen!!)

And..it really is called "Snake Repellent!" I have seen products at Home Depot before, but they contained lots of warnings. This product is organic! It will not harm lawns, gardens or flowerbeds. It is safe to use around pets and children. This blend of cedar oil, cinnamon oil, clove oil and sulfur trigger an escape/avoidance behavior in snakes. Snakes actually taste the air around them via a receptor organ known as the Jacobson's organ. (who knew??) This product provides a potent scent/taste repellent that snakes find unpleasant. It triggers a natural reaction to escape and avoid. According to the label, "Bonide Snake Stopper Snake Repellent does not harm snakes, it drives them away naturally." Perfect for me to use. Now, you cannot add it to water, so I couldn't put it in the pond, but instead I would use it to create a barrier around the pond. It is a powder and is easy to shake out. You would need to re-apply after rain as it would wash away.

(To be fair, I must also tell you there is a note that says this product is exempt from registration with the EPA because of its ingredients. I have not checked this out yet. ) Most repellents have such a terrible odor, and this one..well it smells of cinnamon and cloves-what more can I say? : )

I am really optimistic this will send the snakes away. I will certainly keep you informed of what happens next.

I am SO mad!!!

I am so sick of snakes!! We have lived in this house 25 years and have always had snakes in spring. They are diamond back water snakes. According to the Internet, they are not poisonous, but are mean. This year we had 5 really long (3 feet!) snakes and several babies (may they all rest in peace!). I live knowing this, and I have learned not to freak out when I see a snake--it's part of gardening. However.....yesterday I did quite a bit of watering with my bubbler (they are a great way to water by the way). I went out to move it to another spot when something slithered in front of me. Darn..another snake I thought. I saw it slither again and noticed it did not look like the snakes we usually find--it was black. That is not a good sign. Cottonmouth water moccasins are black. I decide to not venture out the rest of the afternoon. When hubby got home, I told him my story. He took a stick and went through all the plants and as he drug the stick through ground cover--out came a very fast moving snake into the pond. And, yep-it was a moccasin!! Hubby tried and tried to force it out of the water. He later tried looking for it under rocks, under plants and again in the ground covers, but he could not find it. I am on vacation this week and look forward to my early mornings in the garden, but not today.
Not knowing that a moccasin could be hiding in here...
..or in here. Or anywhere! I can handle lots of critters visiting my yard, even little garter snakes that I just ignore, but not something dangerous like a cottonmouth. So, today I run errands. Tonight we are snake hunting!
Makes me so mad!!!