Snakes

Identification

Of the many kinds of snakes found in the United States, only the following are harmful: rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths...All poisonous snakes, except coral snakes and sea snakes, belong in a group called pit vipers. There are three ways to distinguish between pit vipers and nonpoisonous snakes in the United States:

1. All pit vipers have a deep pit on each side of the head, midway between the eye and the nostril. Nonpoisonous snakes do not have these pits.
2. On the underside of the tail of pit vipers, scales go all the way across in one row (except on the very tip of the tail, which may have two rows in some cases). On the underside of the tail of all nonpoisonous snakes, scales are in two rows all the way from the vent of the snake to the tip of the tail. The shed skin of a snake shows the same characteristics.
3. The pupil of pit vipers is vertically elliptical (egg-shaped). In very bright light, the pupil may be almost a vertical line, due to extreme contraction to shut out light. The pupil of nonpoisonous snakes is perfectly round.

Habitat

Snakes are not very mobile, and even though some are fairly adaptable, most have specific requirements. Some live underground (these are mostly small in size), and some have eyes shielded by scales of the head. Others, such as green snakes, live primarily in trees. One group spends its entire life in the oceans. In general, snakes like cool, damp, dark areas where they can find food. The following are areas around the home that seem to be attractive to snakes: firewood stacked directly on the ground; old lumber piles; junk piles; flower beds with heavy mulch; gardens; unkempt basements; shrubbery growing against foundations; barn lofts-especially where stored feed attracts rodents; attics in houses where there is a rodent or bat problem; stream banks; pond banks where there are boards, innertubes, tires, planks, and other items lying on the bank; unmowed lawns; and abandoned lots and fields.

Damage and Damage Identification

A nonpoisonous snake bite has no venom and can do no more harm than frighten the victim. The only harm nonpoisonous snakes can cause is frightening people who are not familiar with them. A bite from a poisonous snake, however, causes an almost immediate reaction-swelling, tissue turning a dark blue-black, a tingling sensation, and nausea.