It is snake season

For those of you, in warm climates, snakes are coming out of hibernation. Two Tucson-area men were bitten by rattlers, just today. One was working in his garden and the other one was trying to catch the snake. As far as I'm concerned, the latter had it coming. There is always some idiot, who thinks that all you need to catch a rattlesnake, is a forked stick and a 12-pack of beer.

Bill tells me that there are a larger number than usual, out at the eastside equipment yard. I told him to be careful. We had a pretty wet winter, which means more vegetation = more rodents = more snakes. Ever since he crawled under a loader and came face-to-face with a rattler, coiled on the differential, Bill takes a hammer and bangs on every piece of equipment, BEFORE he crawls under it. This will scare snakes away or, at least, make them rattle.

Be careful where you walk and don't put you hands into or under anyplace that you can't see. Look, before you sit down on a log or rock.

Oooo...how scary! I hate snakes with a passion & I'm so happy we don't have many in my area.

Thanks for reminding all of those who live in areas that have those pests!

Thank God where we live, we only have garter snakes. I hate snakes!

We have timber rattlesnakes in MN, they live in a hilly area that is along the banks of the Mississippi River. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snapshots...ttlesnake.html

Arizona has the dubious distinction of being home to more species of rattlesnakes, than any other state. Several of them are protected species, too.

We have coral snakes, another poisonous species. There has never been a recorded case of anyone dying from a coral snake bite, though. They are very reclusive and their mouths are too small to bite anything but the tip of a finger or toe. People only get bitten, when they try to handle them.

I am more concerned with scorpions, black widows and brown recluse spiders, than snakes. Since we have a lot of lizards, around our house, the bug population stays under control and we don't get those creepy-crawlies, either.

I'm SO glad we don't have rattlers! Like hissy, we only have garter snakes

Arizona carries the distinction of having LOTS of venomous creatures, namely: Black Widows and other poisonous spiders, poisonous snakes, scorpions, fire ants (not deadly but still a very painful bite), and killer bees!! Did I miss anything? I am so glad to live back in the Midwest!! 7 months in AZ was enough for me.

Yes the snakes are out. I've seen several so far, I only had to kill one of em though. A young copperhead that had decided to take up in my shop. Most snakes I let go unless they are in a position to harm me or my family in any way. Btw Do any of you have outside cats catch snakes and bring them to you? I 've got one big ol b&w tom that will catch a snake in a heart beat.

NZ doesn't have snakes, thank goodness. Be careful everyone!

Originally posted by catlover67
Arizona carries the distinction of having LOTS of venomous creatures, namely: Black Widows and other poisonous spiders, poisonous snakes, scorpions, fire ants (not deadly but still a very painful bite), and killer bees!! Did I miss anything? I am so glad to live back in the Midwest!! 7 months in AZ was enough for me.

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The Midwest has prairie rattlers and black widow spiders. Africanized bees ARE on the move and the fire ants migrated west, from Florida. You can't get away from the creepy-crawlies.

Yes, but we have WINTER here, which effectively prohibits such creatures (killer bees and fire ants) from flurishing. The killer bee migration scenerio has been going on for over twenty years. So far I haven't heard of a single case of them in the midwest. On the contrary, A man in a little town in AZ was stung to death by a whole angry hive. Also the copperheads are not in populated areas (as of yet). The only real threat we have is from Brown Recluse spiders. My friend's house in Illinois had them in her lower level. Those little guys are fast and aggressive. They would run AT you, not away from you if they were disturbed. My friend's mother wound up in the hospital because one bit her thumb as she brought her hand down to smash it (not knowing what kind of spider it was). Her thumb swelled up and turned black!!! Nope. AZ can have the pollution, soaring crime rates, flash floods, dust storms, ungodly hot temps, AND their little poisonous critters. The occassional long winter sits just fine with me.

Thanks god there are only two species of snakes in PR and none is dangerous... they freak me out.

Originally posted by catlover67
Arizona carries the distinction of having LOTS of venomous creatures, namely: Black Widows and other poisonous spiders, poisonous snakes, scorpions, fire ants (not deadly but still a very painful bite), and killer bees!! Did I miss anything? I am so glad to live back in the Midwest!! 7 months in AZ was enough for me.

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You forgot about the Gila Monster (lizard that clamps down, doesn't let go and injects poison). I saw one out there once hiking Sabino Canyon.

The biggest snake that I've ever seen in the wild was also in Sabino Canyon. It was a gopher snake, and was probably about 15 feet long. One end was hanging over one side of the road and the other was hanging over the other. That was wild!

We've got black widows, brown recluse, rattlers and copperheads here. I've seen both types of spiders in my garage, and have found copperheads in the field out back. Most snakes here are non-poisonous (had an 8 foot King snake crawl out from under my house one time).

I hate snakes!!

Originally posted by Strakatzz
Btw Do any of you have outside cats catch snakes and bring them to you? I 've got one big ol b&w tom that will catch a snake in a heart beat.

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JC is an indoor cat who only goes outside on a leash, but he still manages to catch a couple of garter snakes a week in spring or summer(our yard in full of them - we have to go around collecting them in a bucket before mowing the lawn). Luckily there aren't any poisonous snakes in this area.

I was once contradicted by a herpetologist when I said there were no rattlers in Pennsylvania - he told me there were rattlers in most of the US. Take a look at the little maps on this page: http://www.pestproducts.com/rattlesnakes.htm

Thankfully there is only one poisonous snake in Finland, and no poisonous spiders or other critters as far as I know. Not scared of the one poisonous snake for my sake, but for my dogs. My older dog's mom always caught several of those snakes each summer, and I'm always afraid my dog will do the same if he sees a snake.

In 46 years, I've seen just one rattler, in the wild and never seen a Gila monster. I'm not counting the dead rattlers, on the roads.

Over the years, in various parts of the state, I've seen bears, elk, deer (mule & whitetail), javelina, coyotes, kit foxes and bobcats. Skunks are prevalent, too.

Along with all of these things, we have wonderful winter weather, magnificent mountains, fascinating prehistoric and historical sites and the best sunsets, in the world, not to mention the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert.

I do agree with the wonderful Winter weather!! It was nice to go swimming in Nov (outside!) Actually Northern AZ up near Page is beautiful. The pollution and crime are low and the weather is more moderate. I lived in Page for awhile. I wouldn't mind living in that part of the state at all. I forget to mention, in addition to the crime and pollution in the Phoenix area (2nd in air quality to Los Angeles), the nutty drivers. I witnessed anything from a fender bender to a severe crash almost every day on my way to work. I was almost smashed into several times as well. So it isn't like I am ANTI-Arizona, just ANTI-Phoenix and surrounding towns. I really don't mean to insult those who love it in the Valley, I just was presenting the lesser known and talked about side!

*sigh* nothing like a beautiful sunset at Gates Pass in the Tucson Mountains!! The desert sky produces such wonderful sunsets!

I've had family in Arizona my entire life - mostly Tucson but also Prescott and Cottonwood. There's not many places in the state that I don't like (except perhaps Phoenix! LOL).

NOBODY likes Phoenix. Its not Arizona - its LA East. Tucson has some wackos and we have a bad red-light running problem but, it beats Phoenix, six ways from Sunday.