Gardening Tips » Does Lavender Repel Snakes?

Does Lavender Repel Snakes?

Updated January 23, 2022

Many individuals have had various encounters with snakes inside and outside their homes. Encountering snakes inside the house can be especially frightening. If you are one of these people and need to take care of a snake on your property, you may be interested in utilizing snake-repellent plants to keep these uninvited creatures away. There are a variety of natural deterrents you can use to help protect you and your family from snakes and keep them away.

Unwanted Visitor

It’s possible for you to have a fear of snakes due to prior experiences, but they are an essential part of our environment. Sadly, some species of snakes possess defensive capabilities which can be dangerous, and even result in death, to people.

If you inhabit a region that is prone to snakes, it’s wise to utilize plants that can act as a deterrent for both venomous and non-venomous species that could be lurking in your backyard, garden, front of your house, or other places like your kids' or pets' playground.

One way to protect yourself from snakes in a snake-dominated area is to use plants that act as a barrier and repel them. Even though there are some advantages to having a snake around, if you reside in a place where snakes are abundant, you should prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Children may inadvertently find themselves in a dangerous situation if they enter the habitat of a snake while playing outdoors. If you are a keen landscaper or gardener, there is also a significant risk. Snakes might make their way into your yard and possibly into your house unless you create an anti-snake atmosphere.

How to Create an Anti-Snake Atmosphere

Installing a snake barrier, incorporating multiple repellent plants, and limiting food sources are essential components of creating a snake-resistant garden. These animals feed on rodents, mice, and other smaller animals, so if your garden is not attractive to these creatures, it will also be less attractive to snakes. To construct a barrier around your yard, you can plant one or multiple repellent plants. Planting several of these plants in a row will be even more effective at keeping snakes away from your property.

Does lavender repel snakes?

Lavender has a wide range of applications, from its fragrant aroma to its ability to reduce stress, as well as its culinary uses. However, the most important one of all is its effectiveness as a snake repellent, something that you should be aware of.

This plant has the potential to become a nuisance due to its speed of growth and its tendency to spread in certain areas, being labeled as a weed. While lavender may have an off-putting scent to some snakes, it is not necessarily a practical option for snake repellent since it requires a lot of upkeep.

You might have heard that lavender is an effective snake repellent, but this is simply a myth. A scientific study has concluded that the responses snakes have to lavender oil are varied, and none of them are strong enough to consider lavender a true repellent. Snakes responded either aggressively or indifferently to the person sprinkling lavender oil, and there is no evidence to suggest that lavender contains any substances that could paralyze or repel snakes.

You might wonder what are the things that keep snakes away then? To know about it more, keep reading.

What are the things that keep snakes away?

Snakes have an excellent sense of smell that helps them in locating food sources and staying alive. They have an organ known as the Jacobson's organ which reacts strongly to the scents of cinnamon, clove oil, and eugenol. Taking advantage of this trait, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service suggests that you can use the smells of these to repel snakes.

To-dos to keep snakes out of your yards

If you live in an area with a lot of snakes or are worried about them entering your home, there are some steps you can take to reduce the chances of that happening. These strategies will not guarantee that snakes will stay away, but they can help.

  • If you have pets, make sure their food is stored safely away as it can attract snakes. Additionally, you should remove any bird feeders, birdbaths, and other sources of food and water.
  • Consider removing water sources like ponds and bromeliads, and trimming the bushes and trees in your yard regularly.
  • It may also be beneficial to replace your grass or mulch with gravel, as snakes have difficulty moving or hiding on hard surfaces.
  • Additionally, remove any covers from your yard, such as rubble heaps, building materials, or rock walls.
  • Planting trees that attract snake-eating birds can also help, as this will make it more challenging for snakes to invade your property.
  • Finally, installing snake-proof fencing can also help keep snakes away.

Professional Control and Removal

If you are having a snake problem, the best thing to do is to contact a wildlife control expert. They are able to not only remove the snakes from your property but also give you advice on how to prevent them from invading your place again. This advice should be taken seriously, as not following it may result in future snake invasions.

Conclusion

It has been proven through scientific studies that snakes are not affected by the smell of lavender plants. In fact, experiments demonstrate that snakes react to lavender oil based on the presence of someone spraying the oil, not the scent. This means that the notion of lavender being an effective snake repellent is nothing more than a myth created by those who produce lavender-based products and those who hold incorrect beliefs.

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