The name is derived from the Greek words thamnos, meaning “bush,” and ophio, which means “snake.” The species name for the common garter snake is Thamnophis sirtalis. Sirtalis is Latin for ...

You might be attracting snakes to your yard without even knowing it. Garter snakes, the most common type of snake in the U.S., often like to hide under decorative rocks, tall grass, and yard debris.