This morning, as I was heading towards the field with my wife and son to see if there would be any olives this year, in the distance on the road, I saw something quite large and thick.
I immediately suspected a snake, but I didn't know which one until I got closer.
Our region is full of vipers, and they are one of the most poisonous European snakes. Sometimes, a rhinoceros viper can also be encountered, but the viper is recognizable by the markings on its body in the shape of triangles or squares, whichever you prefer, and it has a distinctive mark on its head, a small spot at the tip of its nose.
When I got closer, I saw that it was a non-venomous snake known in our area as a Cat Snake or a European Cat Snake.
It mainly feeds on insects, grasshoppers, cockroaches, but also mice, of course...
There was a cat by the roadside, staring at it, and they stood there until I approached, so I had to take a picture of them from a little further away because my wife is terrified of snakes, she has a phobia, as she was bitten by a viper when she was little and barely survived.
The cat slowly withdrew, and the snake went further into the bushes on its way, probably in search of food.
These snakes are usually quite thick and can grow up to 2 meters, although some older people say they have seen them even larger. When I arrived in the field, I checked twice before I went under the olive tree, as vipers are most often hidden on olive trees and then just fall on you and bite you, but the myth that they jump is just a myth.
I hope you'll never come face to face with any snake, especially a venomous one.
