Rattlesnakes emerge from winter dens as tick season begins in Lethbridge

Rattlesnakes are starting to emerge from Lethbridge's coulees to soak up some sunshine.

The rattlesnakes living in Lethbridge’s coulees are emerging once again from their winter dens as spring-like temperatures arrive in southern Alberta.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if I got a snake call this weekend as the first snake call,” said Ryan First Diver, a local rattlesnake wrangler and ecologist consultant.

He says residents have started to see snakes as early as last week.

With warmer temperatures throughout the day and overnight, First Diver says the reptiles are taking full advantage of the heat.

“It’s important for people to be aware that they’re awake and up and surfaced because there are some dens that are very close to public walkways,” he said.

First Diver, who handles rattlesnake calls for the city, believes the snake population is “strong” in the Lethbridge-area.

While rattlesnakes are mostly found on the city’s west side, he says ongoing residential development has caused the reptiles to migrate to the southside of the city to find new food sources.

First Diver says he’s been called to wrangle snakes in the coulees near the Lethbridge Country Club, Scenic Heights neighbourhood and the Scenic Drive Dog Run.

“I pick up 100-plus snakes every year and of those I might’ve only had maybe a dozen repeats of snakes that I’ve seen before, so we’ve got a lot of snakes,” First Diver said.

Four different types of snakes can be found in Lethbridge: the prairie rattlesnake, bull snake, plains garter snake and wandering garter snake. Only the prairie rattlesnake is venomous.

“They’re definitely important for things like rodent control and pest control because that’s a big part of their diet,” said Taylor Hecker, nature interpretation program leader at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre.

“I know some people have mixed feelings about snakes, but they do play an important role in the ecosystem.”

But with the month of May nearly here, Hecker says snakes aren’t the only thing residents need to be on the lookout for.

“This is the time of year when ticks are starting to emerge from their dormant period,” Hecker said.

“If you’re walking anywhere with tall grass, that’s where they like to hangout — at the end of the tall grass.”

Hecker said ticks “might hitch a ride on your pants” when brushing up against the grass, which checking your body and clothes frequently when walking in those areas especially important.

Lethbridge is home to the Rocky Mountain wood tick, which can be harmful to humans and pets.

The insects come out in the early spring and stay out until the end of June.

Hecker said people can remove ticks by using tweezers and pulling the insect as close to its head as possible.

Whether it’s a tick or a snake, First Diver says, “the main line of defence for yourself is just being aware of your environment”

If you encounter a rattlesnake this season, you can contact the City of Lethbridge’s Rattlesnake Mitigation Program to have it relocated to a safer place.