Say snakes crawl less in hotter weather

The weather is heating up and snakes are on the crawl.

Residents from all across the county have reported spotting snakes.

“We’ve seen a fair amount of activity,” said local herpetologist Jimmy Stiles. “They are slowing down as it gets hotter. Normally, snakes start to come out less the hotter it gets.”

Among the snakes Stiles said he and wife, Sierra, have seen are black racers and copperheads.

“We’ve been trapping most in the forest,” he said. “But we’ve also seen these around the house, so pretty much everywhere we go.”

Alabama is home to six venomous species – Eastern diamondback rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, pygmy rattlesnake, copperhead, cottonmouth and coral.

The Alabama Department of Wildlife and Fisheries offers this advice if you find yourself in a situation where you or someone you are with is bitten by a venomous snake.

· Keep calm. Restrict movement and keep the affected area below heart level to reduce the flow of venom.

· Remove any rings or restricting items from the affected area due to swelling.

· Create a loose splint to help restrict movement of the area.

· Clean the wound but don’t flush with water.

· Wrap wound with compression bandages. Go about 4 inches above the wound, wrapping as you would a sprained ankle.

· Seek medical attention immediately.

Below is a list of things you should not do when bitten:

· Do not allow for over exertion.