Horticulture : News
DATE: July 25, 2011
HARDIN COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
201 Peterson Drive
Elizabethtown, Kentucky 42701-9370
BY: Amy Aldenderfer
County Extension Agent for Horticulture
Beneficial Snakes
Many people fear snakes, but despite the fright they can cause, the majority of snakes are beneficial. Of the 33 varieties of snakes in Kentucky, only four are venomous (Northern copperhead, Western cottonmouth [water moccasin], timber rattlesnake, and pygmy rattlesnake). Only two are found in Central Kentucky: the copperhead and the timber rattlesnake.
Most snakes you encounter around your home are harmless. If you are scared of them, try to remember that they are useful—they keep the rodent population in check by eating mice, rats, chipmunks and even toads, insects and other pests.
Summer months increase the possibility for an encounter with a snake, as snakes leave dormancy in the spring to mate. And because people go outside more often in the warm months to enjoy leisure and sporting activities, surprise encounters can happen. When threatened, a snake may coil up and hiss, but generally, its reaction will be to get away from you.
How can you identify a poisonous snake? Because all of Kentucky’s poisonous snakes are members of the pit viper family, you can easily tell the difference between poisonous and harmless snakes. The three ways to distinguish poisonous snakes in Kentucky: Pupil shape. The black part in the center of the eye (pupil) of harmless snakes is round. Poisonous snakes have egg-shaped or cat-like (elliptical) pupils. In good light, you can easily see the pupil shape from a safe distance because snakes cannot jump nor can they strike from more than one-third of their body length. Pit. Poisonous snakes in Kentucky also have a very conspicuous sensory area or pit (hence the name “pit viper”) on each side of the head. The pit looks somewhat like a nostril and helps the snake locate warm-bodied food. It is located about midway and slightly below the eye and nostril. Harmless snakes do not have pits. Scale arrangement. The underside scales of a venomous snake’s tail go all the way across in a single row from the anal plate. The very tip of the tail may have two scale rows. Nonpoisonous snakes have two rows of scales from the vent to the end of the tail. This characteristic can also be observed on skins that have been shed.
Other features that may help you identify a poisonous snake at a distance: Head shape. Venomous snakes usually have a triangular (wide at the back and attached to a narrow neck) or “spade-shaped” head. Be aware that many harmless snakes flatten their heads when threatened and may appear poisonous. Distinctive sound. Rattlesnakes will usually sound a warning rattle (a buzz or a dry, whirring sound) when approached. However, many nonpoisonous snakes (black racers, corn snakes, rat snakes, milk snakes, and pine snakes) and several poisonous snakes (copperhead and cottonmouth) often vibrate their tails when threatened. The sound produced by this vibration often imitates a rattle or hissing sound when the snake is sitting in dry grass or leaves. Tail. You can easily recognize young cottonmouths and copperheads by their bright yellow or greenish yellow tail.
Snakes like damp, dark, cool places where food (usually mice) is accessible. They also will be drawn to areas that provide shelter and shade from the summer sun. The best way to get rid of snakes is to modify the habitat that is attracting them. Some recommendations include:
• Stack firewood 12 inches above the ground on a pallet
• Remove lumber or junk piles where snakes could hide
• Trim bushes and shrubs that grow against a foundation
• Keep all lots, fields, and lawns mowed and well kept
• Remove debris and trash from pond and stream banks
• De-clutter basements and attics, especially where rodents can be found
• Keep feed for livestock in covered metal containers to discourage rodents
• Remove pet food after feeding
• Use covered metal cans for trash
You can use glue boards to remove snakes. For longer snakes, you may need to nail several glue boards in succession to a piece of plywood. But remember that the best option for snake removal is to modify the environment so the snakes are not attracted to the area. No fumigants or poisons are registered for snake control. Various home remedies, including moth balls, sulfur, lime, cayenne pepper, sticky bird repellent, coal tar and creosote, gourd vines, or musk from king snakes, have not proven effective in deterring snakes.
For more information, visit http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/for/for46/for46.htm or contact the Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service at 270.765.4121 or www.hardinhort.org or email Amy.Aldenderfer@uky.edu.
Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.
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