Four Fangs of Fear

            Growing up and even now, I have always had two major fears, spiders and snakes. I am not alarmed by the sight of spiders nor am I afraid to squash one with my bare hand. But get me around a large tarantula and then you have got my attention. However when it comes to snake I have no partiality,  I dislike them all! Even the smallest Garter snake and you have my attention. Believe it or not, even when I was in college, just the simple sensation of a pet reticulated python lying on top of my feet had me shaking and sweating. I am like Indiana Jones in some aspects except I am not an archaeologist and I do not have a cool whip. I just do not like snakes.

            In all of North America there are around 130 species of snakes and not all snakes exist in every region. Snakes like most animal life have different habitats based on geographic locations. Fortunately for me, the most deadly snakes in this world all exist and are native to continent other than North America. Yes, North America does have poisonous snakes, but the 20 species we do have are comprised of only four types of snakes. Those four types are Rattlesnakes, Cottonmouth, Coral snakes and Copperhead. In total, there are two types of coral snakes, 16 species of rattlers and then the other two, none of which I care to come across. Due to the vast diversity our continent has however, no matter where one travels, the potential to find a venomous snake is always there, but sightings in most northern states and in particular those closest to Canada are far less likely than in the milder climate states.

Currently, Copperheads account for the majority of poisonous snake bites in the United States, but fortunately they also happen to have the least venomous bite of them all. Coral snakes and Rattlesnakes contain significantly greater toxic venom that Copperheads or Cottonmouths (Water Moccasins as some refer to them).  Cottonmouths are much more prolific in swampy, wetland areas such as Louisiana for example. While a Water moccasin bite rarely causes a fatality, if not treated properly, swelling and loss of a limb are strong possibilities. Coral Snakes have three distinct colors: red, yellow, black. The Milk snake has the same three colors as well, but you do not want to mix the two up. As I young kid, I was taught a saying that everyone should know and keep in mind when spending time in areas where Coral snakes exist. The saying is “red to yellow, kill a fellow, red to black, venom lack.” The saying is simple and straightforward. If the red bands on the snake have yellow bands on either side, then it is the poisonous Coral snake. But if the red bands are surrounded by black bands, then you are safe. And if you are like me, then you do not really care what the color is because you will not be touching it anyway.