I thought with the cold winter, Snakes and Spiders wouldn't be seen much in Canada (I'm looking at moving to Alberta) but was reading about a Brit who found a Garter snake in his garden recently.

Are there many other Snakes and/or Spiders around, and if so are they poisonous, and how likely is it to comes across one?

Picture of the snake is just down from the top

http://lyndon001.blogspot.com/

Prairie rattlesnakes are common in Alberta. And particularly Lethbridge. Also common in BC interior. Black widow spiders are found in some portions too.

Sorry when i say common, i mean they exsist there, but there are acctually not many of them so sorry.

Probably just as likely to find a snake in your garden in the UK....

Thats what I thought, then I saw the picture of the Garter!

I obviously don't know anything about reptiles - but what do they do in the winter? I thought most had to stay warm?

They hide in all the retired people's suitcases and accompany them to Hawaii

I'm trying my best to eliminate all wildlife from the ecosystems of Canada... especially the ugly wildlife as they serve no purpose... I guess the cute bunnies and baby deers can stay. Join me in my fight to make Canada's natural world into managed, regulated, sanitized and hermetically sealed wonder-parks for future generations to enjoy... if they can afford the entry fee.

Oooops

I regularly see garter snakes in our hay field and around the property (got a squished one on our driveway too). Rattlers are quite common in the interior of BC too.

NO NO NO NO NO NEVER!!!!!

Not over here haha
So anything like that is a complete shock to me

Just like to say, the only snakes I have seen in Alberta are the ones in the Reptile shops. There are some pretty odd looking bugs though!

is that a pine beetle?

That's just a tad large for a Mountain Pine Beetle (see below).

It's a cloud beetle... they fall from heaven... and crawl down the back of your shirt, dig a hole into the flesh of your lower back and lay 1000s of eggs. The eggs hatch and the babies march 2-by-2 back up your spine and crawl into your ears. Then they chew on your brain for sustenance.

Aint that right Steve_P?

OMG made me jump that pic just popping up Good job i've not got a phobia