Why You May Want Snakes In Your Yard And How To Attract Them

If you're scared of snakes, attracting them to your yard may seem like a nightmare. However, while snakes have garnered a bad reputation of being frightening, they're actually an essential part of the ecosystem, and they can be a helpful visitor in your garden. In fact, there are many benefits to having snakes in your yard, from natural pest control to a healthy, thriving ecosystem that's rich in biodiversity. You can attract more snakes to your yard by providing them with food, water, and shelter. 

Before trying to attract more snakes to your yard, it's important to brush up on some wildlife safety. You should never handle wildlife of any type, including snakes. Watching the wildlife visiting your yard can be an exciting time, but it's important to do so from afar. Handling wildlife like snakes can be dangerous for not just you but the animal as well. Even if you're avoiding venomous snakes, wild animals can still deliver painful bites or injuries with a risk of infection. If you encounter a wild animal, snake or not, you should give the animal the space they need. You should ideally stay at least 6 feet away from snakes if you encounter them.

One of the biggest benefits of having snakes in your yard is the natural pest control they provide. While there are many ways to keep pests out of your garden and yard, snakes do a great job at providing some extra defense because of their diets. Snakes eat a range of food, depending on the species. They eat small mammals like rodents, which can sometimes carry diseases and ticks. They also eat insects, worms, slugs, small birds, fish, amphibians like frogs, small reptiles, and even other types of snakes. Take the common kingsnake for example. This non-venomous snake often makes a meal out of other species, including venomous snakes you may not want in your yard.

Outside of your yard and garden, snakes also play a big role in the food web. While they control smaller animals like insects and mammals, they also provide a food source for predators that prey on them, like hawks or foxes. This helps keep the ecosystem surrounding your home healthy.

With so many benefits for your yard and beyond, you may be wondering how you can bring more snakes to your garden. Thankfully, there are several steps you can take to invite more snakes to your yard, starting with meeting their main needs. Like most other animals, snakes need three things to survive and thrive: food, water, and shelter. As a result, if you're wanting to attract more snakes, then addressing these needs is a great place to start. 

Before you can invite more snakes, avoid pesticides in your garden and lawn, so as to keep a buffet of insects available for your local snakes and also ensure your yard is safe for them. Add more native plants to your yard, which will in turn attract more native species who rely on these plants for food and shelter. Include more water features as well, such as small ponds or a DIY garden fountain that provide not only a source of hydration for any nearby snakes but also a source of food through aquatic insects. Water features also provide hydration to small mammals and birds, which snakes can make a quick meal of.

With food and water addressed, you can also add more safe spots in your yard — spaces snakes can hide in, as well the animals they prey on. There are many options of snake-safe housing, from man-made boxes created with snakes in mind to more natural options, such as piles of rocks and logs.