Snakes Eat Strawberries ?

[Martin Nowak]

Correction to Published False Snake Statement
On July 29, 2024, LiveScience published a story entitled: “Why do strawberries have seeds on the outside?”.

Why do strawberries have seeds on the outside?

While it may initially appear that strawberries are fruits covered in seeds, this is not actually the case.

www.livescience.com

LiveScience has about 6 million readers per month, and about 108,000 YouTube subscribers.

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Live Science editor, Laura Geggel, interviewed Aaron Liston, PhD - professor and herbarium director in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University.

Relevant to FC readers – Professor Liston originally stated: “In other words, the genes that make a fruit become fleshy and sugary shift from the fruit to the receptacle, which makes strawberries an attractive snack for animals including birds, reptiles like turtles and snakes and almost all mammals, he said.”

I took exception to the notion that 'snakes eat strawberries' and emailed both Ms. Geggel and Professor Liston.

To his credit, Professor Liston emailed me back and stated:

Hi Martin,
I was in southwestern China in 2013 to collect wild strawberry samples. At one location, a villager said that they called the strawberries snake berry. That is why I included snakes in my statement. Clearly it was a mistake. Thanks for the correction.
Aaron

Aaron Liston
Department of Botany & Plant Pathology
Oregon State University

Ms. Geggle also emailed me back and stated:

Hi Martin,
I was able to confirm this with Dr. Liston. The story is now corrected with an editor's note.
Thanks for your help!
Laura

The correction is noted online in the article and with the following:

“Editor's note: This article was updated at 10:41 a.m. EDT on Aug. 1 to remove snakes from the list of animals that eat strawberries. Lizards, which have been observed eating strawberries, were added to the list.”

It is commendable that both the author / editor and the professor so quickly responded, and the correction was made immediately. Frankly this is rare in publishing and academia. Kudos to Geggel, Liston, and Live Science. Thanks to all.

Nevertheless, one has to wonder how a statement that ‘snakes eat strawberries’ passes editorial review in the first place. Second, it appears that Professor Liston’s impression since 2013 has been that snakes eat strawberries. He is well published academic author and well regarded in his knowledge. Hopefully the notion that ‘snakes eat strawberries’ has not appeared in any of his publications. One has to also consider that the vast majority of people having read such an article, would not go back to read it again - with the correction noted. They would simply retain in mind that 'snakes eat strawberries'.

In any event, a very positive outcome to communication exchanges correcting a statement about snakes.

 

[bcr229]

I think if you scented the strawberry with something like tuna juice there are a few snake species that would take a bite.

 

[Martin Nowak]

Perhaps. Clearly not the intent of the LiveScience article nor the context of Professor Liston's comment.
My intent posting - is solely that uninformed people reading such an article will believe snakes (in general) will eat strawberries.
And I have no doubt having read the story - then finding any species snake in their strawberry garden patch - will immediately assume and tell neighbors "the snake was eating my strawberries so I killed it".

 

[PeteSnakeCharmer]

Martin,

You will be interested to see this video of a snake (looks like Demansia sp.) eating (wild?) grapes:



I doubt the snake could metabolize the grapes, but it's eagerly eating the grapes nonetheless. I wouldn't have believed it myself had I not seen the video.

- Peter

 

[Martin Nowak]

Peter - excellent reply with video documentation. Most fascinating. As I watch this snake's behavior ... it appears to be searching after eating the first grape. Is it possible - as bcr229 suggests - that the grapes have a scent (lizard?) on some of the grapes ? And so it goes about searching for more food - a grape with lizard scent on it ? In watching snakes in a nest of birds or rodents ... they eat one and then move to the adjacent prey item. They don't (in my experience) crawl about searching away from the first meal. Really interesting. Also agree its unlikely that the snake can properly digest a grape. Thanks !

In a similar lane, Game & Fish and Public Health in Alabama have noted that "snakes eat ticks" ... with the intent "don't kill snakes as they prevent tick borne diseases". I had previously questioned Public Health about this and verbally a representative concurred that not all rodents and birds have ticks, most ticks don't carry disease, and the number of ticks consumed by snakes when eating rodents and birds is inconsequential. However, if such statements prevents wanton killing of snakes - I guess that's a reasonable approach.

 

[Martin Nowak]

Here is the YouTube link to ‘snake eating grapes’ video. The author indicates he was pruning grapes and looked down as the snake was searching through the prunings.


Several people comment that the snake ‘likely smells a food item on the grapes and is therefore eating’; others note the snake is searching about and not eating grapes readily available all around it – leading to belief that only some grapes have a prey scent.

Stack Exchange Biology concludes the same about the video.

Can you explain the behavior of this snake?

I just saw this video in which a snake is swallowing grapes. ("Whip snake eating grapes"). In the video, the snake just doesn't eat but goes on to swallow 2-3 grapes. I did some research on the

biology.stackexchange.com

Reddit report that a ball python ate a grape scented by a mouse.


In doing a bit of “vineyard” research, I could find no evidence of snakes eating grapes. Quite the opposite, vineyard owners appreciate snakes eating rodents and birds.

In Australia, Vineyard Pests Can Be Downright Adorable—or Deadly

From kangaroos to poisonous snakes, these unique Australian animals can wreak havoc on vineyards. Here’s how vintners are handling them.

www.wineenthusiast.com

This vineyard introduces three species of non-venomous snakes into the vineyards as rodent control.

The Wine Conversation — Let's Talk About... A Zoo in the Vineyard

Elin McCoy talks to Sarah Kemp about the increasing number of animals being used in various (and often ingenious) ways in vineyards around the world.

www.wine-conversation.com

My conclusion remains the same – the video is a one off – the snake smelling typical food prey such as lizard. And as already discussed, snakes don’t eat strawberries !