The rat snake here, Elaphe obsoleta (aka Pantherophis obsoletus), is the largest local snake. Examples five feet long are not uncommon, and I think I've read of an old record in Maine of an 8 foot example. These huge snakes are surprisingly docile: I've often approached wild ones and reached down and picked them up without being bitten. They are amazing climbers: I've seen them go right up the side of a brick building or an oak with rough bark. I think they sometimes hibernate (brumate) in our attic, and during the summer they sometimes wander into the house when I leave the doors open (which is often). You can see one of ours http://… Jim McKenneyMontgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where at least six species of snake have visited the garden. _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…