They strike fear into the hearts of a lot of people, but most snakes in Georgia are harmless.
“Only six of the 46 types of snakes found in Georgia are venomous,” said Jana Ashing, a naturalist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
On average, about five people die in the United States per year from snake bites. People are nine times more likely to die from a lightning strike. Bees, wasps and hornets kill about 58 people, according to Ashing, who makes reptile presentations at Mistletoe State Park.
In the spring and summer, people are more likely to be taking part in outdoor activities, and they may find snakes in their yards or flower beds.
Ashing said not to panic if one slithers across your yard. The best thing to do is to spray it with water. Snakes can’t hear. They only know someone is close to them when they feel the vibrations caused by someone’s footsteps. By spraying it with water, it will likely retreat.
“We’re threatening to them,” Ashing said.
Snakes perform a necessary function in the ecosystem. They eat mice, rats and other vermin and keep that population under control. Some nonvenomous species eat venomous ones. Mice and rats can carry other diseases, she said.
If the snake has made it into your house, call a pest control service or animal control, she said.
There are two things Ashing said not to do– kill them or pick them up.
It’s actually a misdemeanor in Georgia to kill a nonvenomous snake. It’s punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, according to the DNR website. And keeping a nonvenomous snake as a pet is illegal without the proper paperwork.
Ashing said to avoid picking snakes up. That’s where most snake bites occur. About one-quarter to half of all snake bites are dry bites, or bites without venom being injected.
In the event of a snake bite, Ashing said that seeking immediate medical treatment is the best course of action.
Venomous snakes typically have more triangular shaped heads than their nonvenomous cousins. The eyes of a nonvenomous snake are round, while the eyes of a venomous snake are vertical and cat-like. Common venomous snakes in the area include cottonmouths, coral snakes, copperheads, pygmy rattlesnakes, timber rattlesnakes and eastern diamondback rattlesnakes.
The coral snake has a distinctive color pattern, and a rhyme was developed to help people identify them.
“Red touching yellow, kill a fellow,” said Ashing.
In contrast, snakes with red rings touching black ones, that’s a king snake or milk snake.
Coral snakes are reclusive, and Ashing said she’s seen more coral snakes in her native Florida than she has living in Georgia.
Ashing said education is the most important thing when coming to snakes. The more people know about snakes, the less likely they are to fear them.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
