snake feeder
A dragonfly, the one buzzing the pond and creek.
Also called snake doctor, dragonfly.
Updated September 24, 2026
snake feeder pronunciation
/SNAYK FEE-der/
Meaning
Country name for a dragonfly, not for a snake. You hear it around East Tennessee, the Carolina mountains, and other Midland country talk. Folks tied the bug to snakes through old belief that it fed them or tended them. Cousin name is "snake doctor," which covers the same insect in a lot of Southern mouths.
How folks use it
- “Look at that big snake feeder skimming the pond.”
- “Kids used to say if a snake feeder flew at you, bad luck was coming.”
Origin and etymology
American folk name, chiefly Midland. The Dictionary of American Regional English maps snake feeder for dragonfly across Midland and Plains country, with thick use in East Tennessee mountain speech. The name comes from old belief that the insect fed or watched over snakes. It is not a British Isles carryover. "Snake doctor" is the close Southern cousin.
Frequently asked questions
Is a snake feeder a snake?
No. It is a dragonfly. The name stuck because of old stories about snakes, not because the bug is a snake.