That Time I Was Greeted By an Unwanted Guest in My Great Barrington Office

Berkshire County is full of common creatures, including deer, bears, foxes, skunks, raccoons, moose, and more. You could say those are the area's furry friends.

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Some Snakes Are Also Common in Berkshire County

Berkshire County has its fair share of reptiles, specifically snakes. Now and then I'll see Garter snakes when I'm mowing my lawn. At times, I have even seen them around the station here in Great Barrington. That's to be expected, considering we're on a huge field and wetlands. But there's one occurrence I'll never forget.

I Had an Officer Greeter One Day in the Form of a Milk Snake

One day, several years ago, I was coming into the station early in the morning like I normally do. I entered my office, flicked the light on, and went to turn the volume up on my office boom box/radio, and to my surprise, wrapped around the cord of the boombox was what looked to be an Eastern milk snake. At the time, I didn't know what kind of snake it was, but I managed to scoop it up on a shovel and release it from the station. This, of course, was after I snapped a photo of the snake.

Jesse Stewart, Townsquare Media

Eastern Milk Snake

At least the snake wasn't wrapped around my finger...lol.

Are Eastern Milk Snakes Common in Berkshire County? Are They Harmful or Dangerous? 

After doing some internet research, I learned that Eastern milk snakes are common in Berkshire County and are harmless and non-venomous. According to mass.gov, Eastern milk snakes are abundant in the area and live in a variety of habitats, including rocky hillsides, overgrown fields, woodlands, and the borders of marshes. They are also commonly encountered in and around barns, basements, wood piles, stone walls, stone foundations, and outbuildings.

If You See an Eastern Milk Snake in Berkshire County, It's Okay

So if you come across an Eastern milk snake, don't be alarmed; they're harmless and are evidently quite common. Now, to say they are common on boombox power cords would be an incorrect statement. But what a sight. I'll never forget that one.