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The warm weather of last week has caused snakes to start emerging from their winter homes. Being a cold-blooded animal they need to find somewhere warm to increase their body temperature; that is why you may see them “sunning” on your sidewalk or another warm, sunny location. If you encounter a snake remember these simple tips:
• Leave it alone; snakes are generally non-aggressive and try to avoid people.
• Give it a way to exit, and it will usually slither away.
• All snakes help control populations of rodents and other pests and because of this, all snakes native to our state are protected. The Wildlife Code of Missouri treats snakes, lizards, and most turtles as nongame. This means that there is no open season on these animals, and it is technically unlawful to kill them. There is a realistic exception, however: when a venomous snake is in close association with people, which could result in someone being bitten.
Learning more about Missouri snakes, we hope you realize how interesting, valuable, and, for the most part, harmless they are. We also hope by learning more it will help you overcome your fear of them and appreciate their role in nature. For more information please check out “A Guide to Missouri Snakes” at https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/downloads/page/MissouriSnakes.pdf
 Most snakes, like this ribbon snake, are harmless and very beneficial.
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