Snakes are a plenty this summer. The snake season kicked off at the end of March with one checking out my neighbors house (below). Once we saw that one, it has been one slithery friend after the next.
I have a family of garter snakes living under the decking in my backyard. They often take a dip in the pool along with something that looks like a worm snake.
There is a king snake who lives by my front door. That’s the red on yellow kind that is NOT poisonous.
I see dead ones all up and down the road several days a week. And when it rains….egads.
My snake loving mother sings the praises of the good snakes — they eat bugs and rats — and I’ve been tolerant.
But WTF. This story about a good friend’s friend, gave me pause: St Johns County Mom Bitten By Water Moccasin. And, there is also the story about a boy in neighboring Georgia who was recently bitten by a copperhead: Marietta Toddler Bitten by Copperhead.
Both of these snake bites took place in very conspicuous places in the yard. Moral of the story: The reptiles are out in force people, so watch your step!
There are actually only six venomous snakes in Florida out of about 50 species. So, when you see one, use this handy guide to figure out if it’s venomous. Here’s a quick screen cap of the uglies:
