It’s snake season in Arkansas; What to know, what to do

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Scrolling through social media shows a number of Arkansans are having encounters with snakes this spring as the weather warms.

Professor Rebecca McPeake, wildlife extension specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said this is typical for this time of year, explaining that with the arrival of spring warmth, a snake’s body temperature rises leading them to become more active.

“Typically they have not eaten in a while, so they are moving around actively seeking food,” McPeake said

Many of the posts include pictures of snakes in gardens or carports along with questions about if the snake is venomous.

According to the UA Division of Agriculture, Arkansas has a total of 39 species of native snakes, and only six of those are venomous: eastern copperhead, northern cottonmouth, western diamond-backed rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, western pigmy rattlesnake and Texas Gulf-coast coral snake.

EXPERTS SAY WHAT TO LOOK FOR TO ID DANGEROUS SNAKES

McPeake recommends memorizing Read Entire Article