Good Lifestyle

Most homeowners would argue that their yards are just as important to the essence of their homes as the rooms within four walls and under a roof. But as with anything exposed to nature, how you choose to decorate or maintain your lawn can affect the animals and insects that choose to visit or take up residence there. And according to experts, keeping one thing in your yard might attract snakes onto your property and into your home. Read on to see what could be drawing in the slithering reptiles.

RELATED: You're Inviting Snakes Into Your Car With This One Bad Habit, Experts Warn.

Depending on your personal views, the idea of having snakes anywhere on your property can make someone feel anxious—especially if it means they could come across one unexpectedly. But unlike some rodents and insects that can damage your yard or home, the slithering reptiles can't really be seen as pests themselves, thanks to the benefits they can provide.

According to experts, non-venomous snakes help out by hunting and eating mice, rats, roaches, moles, grasshoppers, toads, slugs, and more wildlife that can actually damage your garden or pose a more immediate health risk by getting indoors. And unlike these unwanted yard dwellers, they don't dig damaging burrows or eat fruits and vegetables you may be cultivating.

"It's an indicator of a healthy ecosystem, to have a snake in your yard [or garden]," Melissa Amarello, co-founder and director of education for Advocates for Snake Preservation, tells gardening blog Hello Homestead. "It means you have a friendly yard going on, enough to support a predator."

However, experts caution that not all types of snakes will be a welcome sight on your property. Certain poisonous species can pose a risk for pets, children, or homeowners who inadvertently encounter one while doing yard work. And while it's impossible to prevent all snakes from entering your property in search of their next meal, you can avoid attracting them by getting rid of any unkempt grass.

"If you have tall grass in your yard, there's a good chance that snakes will start to frequent the area," Craig Zeigler, may-ari ngAgronomic Lawn Management, tells Best Life. "They're known for being attracted to it because it provides them with cover and makes it easier for them to hunt prey. If you have a snake problem in your yard, the best thing to do is to cut down the grass and remove any other potential hiding spots."

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Besides providing hiding places from their natural predators, such as hawks, owls, or other birds of prey, experts warn that an unkempt lawn could give snakes plenty of time to get comfortable on your property. "Chances are that if your yard is overgrown, it's because you don't use it that often, meaning that the snake's hiding place will remain relatively undisturbed," Ty Jones, owner of lawn and pest company Deans Services, tells Best Life.

But it's also not just reptiles you should be worried about setting up camp in your yard. "Aside from snakes, tall grass can also provide shelter to other pests, such as rodents, spiders, grasshoppers, etc. These critters are what snakes feed on, meaning they don't have to leave the grassy area to hunt," Jones says.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

On top of maintaining a regular mowing schedule, it's also essential to keep other vegetation under control. Experts recommend using a weed whacker to keep perimeter grass under control, as well as making sure to trim bushes, branches, and other foliage that may be creating hiding spots for snakes and their favorite prey.

And it's not just tall grass that could be making your lawn a hotbed of legless reptiles: Even storing vital tools such as garden hoses may also be attracting snakes into your yard. According to the experts at ThisOldHouse.com, piled hoses can provide the perfect type of shelter that snakes seek out to avoid predators and stay warm.

On top of becoming a makeshift shelter, hoses can also create standing water na nagbibigay ng isang inviting na lugar para sa mga ahas sa pugad. Tiyaking regular na suriin ang iyong kagamitan para sa anumang mga butas o maliit na paglabas sa hose na maaaring lumikha ng mga pool kapag ginagamit. Dapat mo ring i-off ang pinagmulan ng tubig mula sa gripo tuwing hindi ginagamit upang maiwasan ang anumang hindi sinasadyang pagbaha salamat sa isang leaky nozzle o sira spigot. Kung mapapansin mo na ang iyong hose ay tumulo kung saan ito nakakabit sa gripo, subukang i-install ang tape ng tubero upang lumikha ng isang mas mahusay na selyo o palitan ang kabit.

Kaugnay: Kung hindi mo nililinis ang kuwartong ito, nag-iimbita ka ng mga ahas sa iyong tahanan .