Garter snakes
The garter can be up to 22 inches long, brown or black with a yellow stripe on its back.

Precautions: Give it space and it will soon slither away.

If you're bitten: Don't let children handle even "harmless"snakes. "Garter snakes will bite," said Robert Buchsbaum of the Massachusetts Audubon Society. Fortunately, snakes do not carry disease, so consulting a doctor is usually not necessary. Just clean and dress the wound.