Snakes are quite common in some areas of the world, but although most places that have snakes are known for them, others can find it surprising to know. One of the unexpected places where you likely would not expect to find a snake is in Spain, but it turn out these slippery creatures enjoy one of the most common crops that you will find there, and thus they are becoming easier to spot and a lot more prevalent, even in areas where humans live.
Good news to start with, these snakes are not venomous and should slither away as soon as they feel a human or a vehicle approach. Bad news is that oftentimes their hiding place is the nook or cranny that you are about to reach into, so you still might have a very unpleasant encounter.
Where are snakes prevalent in Spain
For now, if you are not a fan of snakes you might want to avoid going into an olive grove or near olive trees in general. While they are common in the country, especially in the South, it should not be too hard to avoid them if you are not in the countryside. However if you are outside of the city limits and you are traipsing around nature or a lush garden, just know that there is a chance you will find a snake around one of these olive trees.
But why do snakes seem to like them? Well there are a few factors that make olive trees their perfect habitat. Olive trees have gnarled trunks, thick root systems, and dense leafy canopies, which offer the perfect shelter for snakes like grass snakes and adders. The fact that they grow on fairly arid terrain helps snakes feel more comfortable thanks to the twisted form of the trunks and the fact that they are usually surrounded by dry stone walls, rocky terraces, and sun-soaked limestone soil.
As one herpetology expert told the gardening magazine Mon Jardin & Ma Maison, “For reptiles, it’s like paradise,” all these features have one thing in common, they gather heat during the day and liberate it at night, which makes the area a lot more pleasant and temperature controlled.
Olive groves also come with a substantial amount of foods for snakes, as they are littered with critters like mice, moles, lizards, and even small birds that snakes like to hunt. But what if you do not want these slithering creatures to make their home in your grove or back yard? There are some things that you can do, besides hunting them, that will ensure that they are kept to a minimum or, if you are lucky, they choose another property to inhabit.
Things you can do to prevent snakes in your property
Clear clutter: While it might be tempting to keep stones, spare wood or other debris in your property just in case, these are perfect hiding spots, so either put in in a locked place with no holes or toss it.
Keep the area clean: Mowing grass so that it is not too high, pruning diligently foialge around the trees and keep watering to a minimum are some of the best ways to avoid having cool damp spots where snakes can hide.
Control the rodent populations: No one likes mice around their crops, but getting rid of them comes with an additional perk, and that is having less food available to snakes that they might like to consume on a regular basis, so make sure to not leave food around
While this might not seem like a lot, especially when considering that nature is hard to control, it is the basics of pest management, although if you do not mind some unwanted guests, having a more varied ecosystem might help your trees grow.