Expert sees more snakes this season and issues warning

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – There are 55 different kinds of snakes in Mississippi, and six of them are venomous.

And snakes, like people, go looking for somewhere cool when the weather gets hot.

And that cool place may be near or even in your house.

Temperatures are soaring, and most people remember to stay in the cool areas. But what is lurking in those areas near your house can be frightening.

“If your backyard got shaded and let’s say you got some equipment or something that is out there, maybe some supplies or some things boxes or whatever it could be outside, you know play equipment for kids, and you flip it over it could be a snake up under so you always need to be aware,” Nevins said.

The South has its share of different species of snakes. Some of them are dangerous, and people always want to know, how can you tell if it’s venomous?

The experts said it’s all in the eyes.

“Because you have the round for the non-venomous, but you have to be pretty close to see this, and then they have slit eyes for the poisonous snakes,” Nevins said.

So where do all the snakes come from you ask?

“Kind of a longer winter turned into a shorter spring; we had a lot of moisture and a lot of rainfall during that, so it allowed the breeding season and the snakes to be more amped up, so we got more snakes out,” Nevins said.

There are a lot of beliefs about snakes. Some folks said they can smell the presence of snakes. Or if you hear a lot of frogs then you don’t have snakes.

Others take measures to try to keep them away.

“Mothballs have a sulfur source, so yes, they can, but the amount of mothballs you would have to put out would be a lot,” Nevins said.

Nevins advised people to pay attention to the directions if they plan to use snake repellents to keep from harming their furry friends. And to remember…

“Most people get bit handling or trying to deal with snakes like that most of the time; if you just leave it alone, it will probably go away on its own,” Nevins said.
Nevins says if a snake bites you, seek medical attention fast.

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