Posted on 06/07/2012 11:58:28 PM PDT by Theoria
It's the talk of at least one part of Columbia and it all started Tuesday with a phone call from a concerned neighbor.
Heathwood resident Andrew Philson got a call about a snake in his backyard and thought he'd be finding a small garter or black snake, but got the shock of his life when he saw the beast slithering up one of his trees.
That snake has slithered his way into the national spotlight. First, WIS, then CNN, Fox, even the Drudge Report. Why? Well, it's a big snake and who knows how long it had been sneaking -- or snaking -- around in Philson's backyard?
One thing Philson does know, the darn thing was huge. "I'm saying 15 to 20 feet long," he said.
Philson lost track of the snake shortly after taking the pictures, which have now shown up on TV monitors and web sites all over the world. They've also led to some criticism from people including South Carolina Department of Natural Resources snake expert Steve Bennett.
Bennett says it's a rat snake, plain and simple -- a common and useful creature and one that as far as anyone knows, never gets anywhere close to the size claimed by Philson.
"What happens is when people see these things, they are so shocked and probably scared, it changes their whole way of thinking," Bennett said.
Philson does not seem like someone prone to panic, even in the presence of an oversized reptile. A former state trooper, Philson recently served a tour of military duty in Afghanistan.
"I know that when I testified in court in my previous job, that accuracy counts," Philson said.
"People who are otherwise fairly honest and you know, straightforward people, will see something like that and just automatically overestimate and exaggerate the size of it," Bennett said. "It's just human nature.
A wildlife removal company is planning to conduct an all-out search for the snake on Thursday.
Enjoy your glorious ride, dear one.
:)
Yep.
They die the dreaded “Irish death”, from which there is no resurrection.
:)
Bless you for leaving them in peace.
BTW, the hunt goes on
http://www.wistv.com/story/18623737/giant-snake-may-be-in-neighbors-shed
Try selling it on eBay.
I’s true!
Here is the reason why:
Under what category?
The “weird stuff” one?
First time I ever saw a real roach, I was in a laundromat in Norfolk VA.
It came strutting out from under the drier and just as I was about to get up and grab it to examine it, a nearby Squid spied it and screamed like a girl.
That thing had to be 3 inches long.
And that was how I discovered the dreaded cockroach.
I hear that Palmettos are even bigger.
Yes, I know but I’m not of the limey Lucas’.
:)
*shrug* Personal services?
I’m not sure “Purveyor of bargain basement histrionics” is a service much in demand.
[street corner ranters give it away free...who’d actually pay for it?]
:)
What is a Squid?
Sounds about right. Fortunately, my cats liked hunting them.
Sailor.
Renfield’s gonna be mighty disappointed.
Nothing here but spiders and stink bugs.
They like moths too. And by “like” I mean “eat.”
Some of those get in once in a while.
He’s always got his crazy “Christmas Tree” if nothing else shows up.
:)
Growing up in the sticks of central Virginia, I never saw a palmetto bug. Upon my move to Columbia, SC in 1997, my introduction to South Carolina’s state bird was seeing one crawling across the wall in my townhouse one night. I whapped it with a paperback. It flew off the wall, bounced off my chest, landed on the floor and scuttled away none the worse for wear. I’m not sure but I think it flipped me off before it headed under the dresser.
I didn’t sleep well that night.
We deal with them in the Triangle (Raleigh/Durham, NC) as well. Despite their size, they’re as sneaky and hard to get rid of as any German cockroach (the small city roach) infestation once you’re stuck with them. They’re just big enough that you can hear them moving across a tile floor if it’s quiet, and hard to kill.
They’re harmless, just really annoying and squicky.
}:-)4
Get a cat - they love to hunt Palmetto bugs.
Oddly, our two Maine Coons could care less about them. Mice, they’ll hunt down and destroy and fight each other over. Palmetto bugs? They just watch them scuttle by with nothing more than mild curiosity. I always figured the bugs would be great self-propelled cat toys, but they really don’t pay much attention.
}:-)4
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