I nearly stepped on these two large garter snakes, but fortunately saw them at the last minute and leaped aside. Like most species of wildlife, they don't waste any time, but get on with the business of producing more snakes as soon as they emerge from hibernation. Interestingly, the female can store the male's sperm for up to five years, but most often retains it for a few weeks until the eggs mature, at which point fertilization occurs.