Predator or Prey?

Our August evening walk in the garden was interrupted as my eleven year old son strolled into the garage. The night was very warm and a light rain had fallen. The sweet scent of phlox lay heavily in the air, mixed with that of freshly-cut grass. The bay had been left open to all of night’s creatures. After checking for the usual toads, salamanders, bats, and skunks, I closed the bay. My son cried out, “Mom, look!” He was pointing to the spider web that had been in residence all summer long, next to the garage door. It wasn’t a spectacular spider web, just a random mess of tangle, weaving back and forth in crazy, sticky meanders between the flagpole, a broom, and the wall. The spider was busy at work. She was furiously attacking quite a large insect. Peering closely, my son discovered that this “insect” was actually a baby ring-neck snake!

How was it, I wondered, that this five-inch garden predator, probably this year’s hatch, while prowling for small flies, worms and snails, could become such unlikely prey? And how was it that the snake could become suspended six full inches off the floor in the tangles of a spider’s realm? I was amazed, my son was upset. I was tempted to let nature alone, knowing that the spider had worked hard to sustain itself. On the floor lay evidence of many good meals. I donned some gloves, a small hand shovel, and my dollar- store reading glasses, and gently separated snake from spider. The modern-day mummy now lay on the floor as a very tight letter S. What to do? My son found a very tiny twig, and together we worked to remove the sticky mess. It was a very difficult feat, because the snake was so small and fragile, compared to the incredible strength of the webbing.

Little by little we removed the mess by rolling the twig across the back of the snake, spooling long lengths of webbing. The freed snake, now lively, was eager to get back to its important business of ridding my garden of pests. Missing its shroud, it proved to be a perfect replica of an adult: its yellow necklace bright against a deep slate background, and its orange-red belly flashing as it tried to escape into the night. We let it go, sure that its liveliness was its message of thanks to us for its freedom.

How about you? Have you had a special garden or yard experience with a child in your life? Or perhaps you would have had a different approach to handling a spider and a snake (oh, my!). Tell us about it. We'd love to hear from you!


Lackawanna County Master Gardeners
Michelle Woelkers

Fall Care

The signs are all here - the shorter days bringing quicker sunsets, the heavy dew on our cars in the morning, the ever present big yellow school buses - fall is here. This season brings on a host of gardening chores and choices. Although this past year has had its challenges for the home landscaper, autumn is a great time to experience the outdoors before the next big change.

Fall for Cutting
Most cool season grasses that do well in Pennsylvania go through a growth spurt in the fall. You may see that it grows faster now than during the summer, so remember to continue cutting your grass. In addition, the fall is a great time to reseed any bare spots. Plus it is an ideal time to fertilize the lawn. Giving turf the proper nutrients does more for improvement than any other practice. So consider a soil test to get the best balanced program. We have soil test kits and the publications “Lawn Management Through the Seasons” and “Don’t Guess…Soil Test” to guide you.

Fall for Care
By now most perennials have finished blooming and they need a bit of care to get through the next few months. First, it is good to make some notes on what worked and what didn’t. This way you can capitalize on this year’s successes for 2010. Some perennials need cutting back and some varieties can be left as is for a winter effect, or food for birds. Any diseased plants need to removed as soon as possible. Think though about rodents - they love to hibernate in thick clumps of ornamental grasses. The fact sheet “Fall Perennial Care” is available for additional help.

Fall for Color
As one season ends and another begins, the homeowner has another chance for color. There are many options to liven up the fall landscape with little or no effort. Fall mums are plentiful right now. These low maintenance flowers look good anywhere and need little care. Consider adding daisy-like asters to augment the fall mums. For even more effect, pansies are gaining popularity for this time of year. These three together will be a welcome sight as the rest of your landscape “falls” into the next season. For more information on mums or asters please call the Penn State Master Gardener Helpline at 570-963-6842 and ask for “Asters” and “Chrysanthemums” or email us at LackawannaMG@psu.edu


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

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