Photo(s) courtesy of Sarah Nealon ‘25
Image description: A black snake slithering across the concrete pathway to the 1837 bridge. The snake is positioned near the middle of the path, partially illuminated by sunlight. The 1837 bridge is in the background; a wooden bridge with white railings on either side. The weathered texture of the wood contrasts with the smooth, light-colored pavement. Grass grows beside the edges of the bridge, and the scene is bathed in natural light.
By Tara Monastesse ’25
Editor-in-Chief
On a sunny afternoon earlier this September, Mount Holyoke College senior Sarah Nealon ’25 was about to cross the Lower Lake bridge when she spotted something unexpected.
“I saw this long black thing, kind of coming up from the grass off the side of the bridge,” Nealon said. “And it was so big that at first I thought it was a rope or something. And then I looked closer at it, and it started moving … and I'm like, oh my God! That's a snake!”
Nealon, a lifelong Massachusetts resident, had never encountered a snake that large in the wild before and was surprised to find it in the area. However, snake sightings are not uncommon among the many different kinds of wildlife present on the College’s campus. Of the 14 snake species located throughout Massachusetts, several have been spotted across campus in recent history, particularly around the Upper and Lower Lakes as well as the Community Boathouse.
As recently as Sept. 13, a small, striped snake was additionally spotted on the Lower Lake bridge lake at approximately 11:08 p.m. by Mount Holyoke News.
As the weather gets colder, the cold-blooded reptiles will become less active and seek shelter, entering a dormant state known as “brumation.” However, according to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife — also known as MassWildlife — snakes can become more active in the fall as they hunt for prey.
“We may see some activity through the fall as they make a final push to get food ahead of winter,” Lori Smith, director of the College’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety, said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “They may briefly appear on warmer days in the winter to sun themselves and get water.”
While this heightened activity may sound alarming, in reality there is little to fear if a snake is encountered on campus. Only two of the snake species found in Massachusetts are venomous, and neither of them have been known to appear in Hampshire County. According to MassWildlife, unless directly threatened or cornered, snakes tend to avoid people and predators.
“Anyone that encounters wildlife should keep their distance,” Smith said. “Individuals taking photos must do so from afar, for their own safety and that of the wildlife.”
Based on photographs provided to Mount Holyoke News by Nealon, the snake she encountered was likely an eastern ratsnake. According to the Wildlife and Pest Management page on the College’s website, this endangered species of snake can be found “by Upper and Lower Lakes, in wooded areas or peacefully warming itself in sunny spots.”
While the eastern ratsnake’s large size can be intimidating, the website stresses that the snake will not harm people if they give it space and leave it undisturbed. After Nealon took a few photos of the snake and warned a nearby pedestrian with a small dog, she left the encounter unharmed.
Devin Keith ’25, who spotted a large snake curled up outside of the Fimbel Maker and Innovation Lab last spring, reported a similarly harmless experience. “[The snake] was tense, before trying to slither away closer towards the [Fimbel] entrance door,” Keith said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “I watched it for a while, and it moved around a little bit to try and get away from people.” Keith also mentioned recently seeing a yellow and black snake on Upper Lake.
Woodlief McCabe ’23, a recent graduate, also recalled encountering a snake in September 2023 when they were crossing the Lower Lake bridge. Though McCabe described themself as being “not very good at approximating lengths,” they estimated that the snake was “easily four to five feet long, and as thick as a bicycle tire.”
“It was resting on the asphalt before the bridge on the [Mandelle Hall] side, perpendicular to the path,” McCabe said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “The snake made its leisurely way across my path and slunk through the grasses and into the banks of Lower Lake … I was caught off guard for sure, but not scared because I know that these types of snakes are not dangerous to people.”
“This was ultimately a thrilling experience for me and I hope I get to see more snakes soon,” they concluded.
If an animal that appears to be sick or injured is encountered on campus, Smith recommends that students report it to Public Safety and Service. In the highly unlikely event that a snake is found inside a College building, students should notify Facilities Management, who will then contact a licensed wildlife professional to remove it. Sightings of rare or endangered snakes can also be reported to MassWildlife through their website for data collection purposes.
“We are so fortunate to be surrounded by such a beautiful and diverse ecosystem,” Smith said. “It's up to all of us to respect and protect it.”
Abigail McKeon ’26 contributed fact-checking.
Editor’s note: Prior to their graduation, Woodlief McCabe ’23 was a member of Mount Holyoke News.