intended consequences

[twoeleven]

i went to water my back garden bed today, and found that a patch of it was all torn up. lots of plants were broken off near the ground, a blueberry bush was uprooted -- it's new this year, and very small -- but no sign of digging, which ruled out amphetamine-fueled squirrels. it was all rather puzzling.

then i found the snake.

a meter-or-so long garter snake had tried to slither through the netting i'd covered the blueberry bushes with, and had gotten caught in the mesh. it was in bad shape: patches of bare skin exposed, and a couple of places with raw, oozing flesh. plastic mesh doesn't give easily. it was pretty exhausted too; it barely moved when prodded.

i managed to cut it free with a lot of effort. cutting black mesh wrapped around a black snake without cutting the latter was challenging. also, the mesh had gotten tangled in everything: plants, gathering rings, random twigs on the ground.

the snake seemed like it was starting to leave, but when i came back an hour later, it was literally belly-up. *sigh*

i may have to rethink the mesh. it certainly kept critters from swiping my berries, but i need all the predators i can get.