CORVALLIS, Ore. — Gardeners should be glad to see snakes glide through the garden. These much-maligned reptiles consume slugs, grubs, mice, voles and rats — offering free, chemical-free pest control.
The vast majority of snakes in Oregon help manage common garden and landscape pests.
- Garter snakes feed on slugs and other invertebrates.
- Sharp-tailed snakes add grubs — including Japanese beetle grubs — to their diet.
- Rubber boas specialize in mice and voles, following them into tunnels.
- Gopher snakes prey on mice and rats.
Garter snakes are the species most often seen by urban and suburban gardeners. Two species are widespread across much of Oregon (except higher mountains): the western terrestrial garter snake and the common garter snake. In Western Oregon, the northwestern garter snake is also present, and an aquatic garter occurs in the state’s southwest.
Garter snakes typically breed in spring and give birth to live young in late summer or fall. Many juveniles aren’t noticed until the following spring after their first winter. Few survive to adulthood due to predators, vehicles and lawnmowers.
For species details and identification, consult the OSU Extension publication The Wildlife Garden: Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis).
Make your yard garter snake-friendly
- Walk the lawn before mowing. Snakes don’t hear like we do — they sense vibration. A quick walkthrough encourages them to move out of harm’s way.
- Provide simple shelter. If you have space, leave a sheet of old plywood or corrugated metal loosely on the ground in an out-of-the-way spot. Old stumps and large rocks also create cool, safe hideouts.
- Avoid routine pesticide and fertilizer use in areas used by snakes, including lawns. Reducing chemical inputs supports a healthier backyard food web.
- Pets present? Regular pet activity often discourages snakes from lingering, which means encounters may be infrequent.
Find additional habitat tips in The Wildlife Garden: Attract Reptiles and Amphibians to Your Yard (OSU Extension).
About rattlesnakes — rare in most gardens, important on the landscape
Oregon’s only truly venomous native snake is the western rattlesnake. It feeds on mice, rats and other small animals. Historically found on both sides of the Cascades, rattlesnakes are now uncommon on the west side but remain present in parts of Southern and Eastern Oregon.
If you encounter a rattlesnake in its natural habitat — away from homes and play areas — keep your distance and leave it alone. Rattlesnakes are reclusive and seldom aggressive unless cornered or provoked.
Welcoming beneficial snakes — and giving the rare rattlesnake respectful space — helps create a resilient, lower-input garden where nature does more of the work.
Previously titled Snakes slither through the garden eating slugs, grubs and other pests
