Saturday, January 17, 2009

Micro Pest Management.

Look at this cutie pie, a baby ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus).  I was sweeping up leaves this morning, when I found this baby hanging out in the damp edges of our Orange muscat planting. I wish I could have captured a shot of his/her tongue flicking in and out, giving me a good sniff. So cute, but yet so useful. I deposited him/her safely, under the leaves at the base of one of the vines, out of harms way. After all, I want this baby to reach adulthood and be the 30 inch long, slug eating predator it has the potential to be.
Godspeed little one...just leave my favourite lizards alone!

9 comments:

Craig Justice said...

All I found today in Southern California under the leaves were lizards and salamanders. It's been warm -- over 70 degrees -- and I've been wondering if perhaps the lizards larger cousins the rattlesnakes might have thawed out and might emerge thinking it's Spring, so I made sure to carry my shovel just in case. Yes, Mr. Rattlesnake, please eat my gophers and please eat my squirrels. But as you well appreciate, dogs and rattlesnakes mix worse than gasoline subsituted for tequila in a margarita.

Marc Winitz said...

Cool little dude. He will protect the vineyard!

--Marc

Vinogirl said...

Thanks to you both for visiting.

Craig Justice said...

Dear Vinogirl,
Bluey thinks that your a real "hoot", even cooler than his friends the owls. Yes, please add us as subscribers to your blog. It will be a pleasure. You might also get a kick out of some of our musings, so I also invite you to subscribe to Winemaker's Journal. You might enjoy our exclusive interview with Joe the Wino. (He might be a distant relative of yours, as your occupation is listed as wino, no?) I apologize for digressing recently from purely musing about wine, but when your wife spends your last $1,777.77 on palm trees (which she plans to sell for $10,000 each 50 years from now) as we head into a depression, it kind of changes the equation about things. I also apologize for my discretions in the two previous posts this month (it was to satisfy the base nature of some of our readers, I must confess, who threatend to unsubscribe if I didn't publish). But as the self-appointed winemaker to the honorable Bishop of San Diego (and given that 3 priests just subscribed) I've promised to clean up my act (at least a little). Also, you are welcome to join the fun on our Facebook Page. Search for "Blue-Merle Winery". It's over 70 degrees again today and while the snakes may not be moving (I hope) the gophers definitely are so Bluey and I need to get back outside and set some traps. Cheers!

Thud said...

He looks a nasty little bugger!....I'm off to try this substituting gasoline for tequila...does it work just substituting it for alcohol in general?

Vinogirl said...

Let me know how that substitution thingy works for you.

winecountrydog said...

Howlo, everybuddy! Howlo, little Diadophis punctatus, wherever you are!

I hope that V1 and V2 have made friends with the little guy. Snakes still startle me by wriggling past at such a speed that I don't have time to herd them. ^..^

Trubes said...

Hello Vinogirl: My first visit to your site and what do I see...A baby snake..Yikes I am petrified of them...
Not to be deterred and reading on I find it all very interesting stuff.
I see you are a LFC supporter, I am a EFC supporter as most of my friends are.
Are you related to Thud? He comments on my site and I like to read his.

Regards,

Di.x

Trubes said...

PS I meant to say that most of my friends are LFC supporters, not EFC supporters...If you know worr I mean like..

Di.x