Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
For Sheri Monk, an interest in snakes and a career covering the cattle industry eventually led to the same place: an appreciation for the relationship between agriculture and Prairie habitat, including all the critters that call the grasslands home.
Monk, founder of Snakes on a Plain, joined RealAgriculture at the Farming Smarter Field Day at Lethbridge, Alta., to talk about the role native bull snakes and rattlesnakes play on agricultural landscapes.
One of their biggest contributions is rodent control. While many predators catch rodents after they emerge above ground, snakes can pursue them into their burrows — including before young rodents reach reproductive age.
“They are so effective at rodent control because they can get underground and clean out those rodent nests before the young reach sexual maturity...these guys are really effective, basically, at rodent birth control,” Monk says.
That appetite can add up. An average field mouse provides about 30 to 40 calories, Monk says, while a rattlesnake needs a minimum of 400 calories simply to survive the season and will eat more when it can.
Keeping snakes on the landscape doesn’t necessarily require major changes. Monk points to leaving buffer land around cropped fields and retaining old fence posts. Erosion around those posts can create refuge from the heat, while buffer areas can help snakes travel between their dens and summer foraging grounds.
Sharing that landscape safely comes down largely to awareness. Monk recommends adequate footwear and gaiters in rattlesnake country and checking where you’re stepping, particularly around parked vehicles that can provide snakes with shade.
“Have a look where you're stepping before you step,” she says.
Website: realagriculture.com
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For Sheri Monk, an interest in snakes and a career covering the cattle industry eventually led to the same place: an appreciation for the relationship between agriculture and Prairie habitat, including all the critters that call the grasslands home.
Monk, founder of Snakes on a Plain, joined RealAgriculture at the Farming Smarter Field Day at Lethbridge, Alta., to talk about the role native bull snakes and rattlesnakes play on agricultural landscapes.
One of their biggest contributions is rodent control. While many predators catch rodents after they emerge above ground, snakes can pursue them into their burrows — including before young rodents reach reproductive age.
“They are so effective at rodent control because they can get underground and clean out those rodent nests before the young reach sexual maturity...these guys are really effective, basically, at rodent birth control,” Monk says.
That appetite can add up. An average field mouse provides about 30 to 40 calories, Monk says, while a rattlesnake needs a minimum of 400 calories simply to survive the season and will eat more when it can.
Keeping snakes on the landscape doesn’t necessarily require major changes. Monk points to leaving buffer land around cropped fields and retaining old fence posts. Erosion around those posts can create refuge from the heat, while buffer areas can help snakes travel between their dens and summer foraging grounds.
Sharing that landscape safely comes down largely to awareness. Monk recommends adequate footwear and gaiters in rattlesnake country and checking where you’re stepping, particularly around parked vehicles that can provide snakes with shade.
“Have a look where you're stepping before you step,” she says.
Website: realagriculture.com
#farming #agriculture
Find us on our other social media platforms:
X/Twitter: twitter.com/realagriculture
Instagram: instagram.com/realagriculture
Facebook: facebook.com/realagmedia
