I found this nasty creature in the bluebird house. It's a rat snake... I had no idea they could climb poles, but they can and they eat bluebird eggs, hatchlings and even the parents if they can!
Mom and Dad were having a hissy fit outside their house and I wondered what the heck was going on! Saw the wicked thing poke its head out of the hole... Not a baby blue. Hmmm? Got a long pole and opened up the side and this vile creature is what I found. Got the garden hose to try to flush it out... No luck. Took the long pole and sort of pulled it out... It fell about 10 feet on the ground and coiled up at me like it was going to strike! Took the hose and blasted the damn thing away! Any eggs or baby blues - gone... My heart breaks for my poor bluebirds. They haven't been back to this house since this episode and I doubt they'll come back this year.
Come to find out, rat snakes are the worst on our declining bluebird population. I put out sulfur powder - thickly - around all the poles with bluebird houses and the ones on the back fence in a feeble attempt to deter any more predators. I'm going to have to find somebody to build me some snake baffles. The rat snake is a night predator and will crawl up the poles, trees, fences - wherever the houses are mounted and devastate the nest. So unless you're camped out around a nesting pair of bluebirds at night, you won't ever see a rat snake climbing up to eat its fill.
Not a great pic, I grant you that. It's blurry, but it documents this episode of my poor blues.
@maggiemae The poisonous kind here can't climb up poles and trees so I wasn't too worried about this one, but they will bite. I was a good distance away and used the zoom.
So frustrating when you enjoy having birdhouses and seeing the young but predators find their way in…I know it’s nature but not fun to watch! :(. I’m impressed you wrangled the snake!
@mazoo Rat snakes are NOT on the decline, but bluebirds are. So I must do what I can to protect them.
@amyk Thanks, Amy. If I had any doubts that it was one of our poisonous varieties, I would not have tried it. But rattlesnakes and copperheads don't climb poles and trees.
@ludwigsdiana Thanks, Diana. I was pretty sure it wasn't venomous.
@30pics4jackiesdiamond Native rat snake and they aren't on the decline, but bluebirds are. I have to do what I can to protect them.
@monikozi Thanks, Monica. LOL! Not that daring. =)
@wakelys Knowing that these creatures are the reason for our bluebird decline, I think you would have done what you could. =)
Oh no! That is heart breaking. I have a pair nesting in one of my houses. I should put some sulfur powder. I had no idea that snakes can crawl up poles!
@pamalama Unfortunately, rat snakes can climb. I had no idea either until my good neighbor informed me they can and here was the proof. Snakes don't like sulfur, but I'm looking at other options - baffles, and other stuff. I found some snake baffles on Amazon, but they are so expensive! Yikes. Might be cheaper to build something.
@haskar Thanks, Haskar. Rat snakes are not threatened, but the bluebird population is in decline because of these creatures. I have to do what I can to protect them on my patch. The rat snakes have plenty of other creatures to feed on, including meadow voles, field mice, and other things.
I feel your pain! I am three years into my milkweed/monarch project and got caterpillars this month for the first time. How many caterpillars survived? Zero. Zilch. Nada. Turned out I was spreading a buffet for the birds & wasps. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Apparently swallowtails will use the milkweed later in the season, so I'll have an opportunity to try some caterpillar-protection strategies.
@rhoing Oh dear! I wish you lots of luck with your protection strategy. So the wasps and birds are not good for the caterpillars or cocoons? How about some nets?
May 19th, 2023
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@wh2021 Thank you.
@danette I'm sorry for mom and dad.
@kjarn It really is, Kathy. We have declining bluebird population because of this.
@amyk Thanks, Amy. If I had any doubts that it was one of our poisonous varieties, I would not have tried it. But rattlesnakes and copperheads don't climb poles and trees.
@ludwigsdiana Thanks, Diana. I was pretty sure it wasn't venomous.
@30pics4jackiesdiamond Native rat snake and they aren't on the decline, but bluebirds are. I have to do what I can to protect them.
@monikozi Thanks, Monica. LOL! Not that daring. =)
@wakelys Knowing that these creatures are the reason for our bluebird decline, I think you would have done what you could. =)
@mittens Non-venomous. Very sad for the blues.
Apparently swallowtails will use the milkweed later in the season, so I'll have an opportunity to try some caterpillar-protection strategies.