![]() ![]() “On a cool morning, you may find a snake sunning a rock along a hiking trail or the stones in a walkway or a paved walking trail. “People need to take these environmental conditions into account,” she said. But in the heat of the summer, they prefer shade, especially from the midday sun. It’s best to give them plenty of room and let them go on their way.” Where and when you might encounter a snakeīecause snakes are cold-blooded, they prefer sun and/or stretching out on warm surfaces like rocks, pavement and other heat-absorbing materials when temperatures are cooler. “Most bites occur when a person is trying to handle the snake or trying to kill it. “When you encounter a snake, it’s best to just leave it alone,” she said. ![]() Snakes are typically not aggressive and will escape an area if they hear someone approaching.įrank said the best ways to avoid snake bites is to watch where you step or reach and to keep your distance if you see one. There are around 75 snake species in the Lone Star State, but only about a dozen are venomous.Įven though most species are non-venomous, Frank said her best advice is to avoid contact with any snake. While many Texans view them as a dangerous pest, they are an important predator of insects and animals. Snakes are integral to Texas’ array of regional ecosystems. There’s little to fear about snakes if a few basic precautions and principles are applied before and during an encounter. People can encounter snakes while walking trails, camping or just doing summer yard work around the house, she said. Maureen Frank, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service wildlife specialist, Uvalde, said snakes, whether we like them or fear them, are active around the house and in their natural habitats this time of year. Rapid urbanization and higher-than-normal amounts of rain were blamed for the spike in bites, especially since they were occurring more frequently in suburban areas. Last year, several news organizations reported an increase in the number of venomous snake bites in Texas and other states like North Carolina and Georgia. It’s summertime, and like it or not, snakes are out. ![]()
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