04/21/2019
"Old wive's tales" can sometimes get you in trouble--and more often, gets our wildlife in trouble! The old adage "Red on black, friend of Jack, red on yellow, kill a fellow" is a good example. Many harmless snakes are killed by folks believing them to be coral snakes (which, incidentally, are shy and not inclined to bite.) Venomous snakes are sometimes free-handled by people who follow the colour guidelines of the adage. Here's a great article by Snake Buddies about tri-coloured snakes. Remember, the best thing to do is leave a snake alone, and study reliable guidebooks so that you are familiar with the snakes in your area.
Only 4 families of venomous snakes exist in the United States. These are the rattlesnakes, Copperheads, Water Moccasins (Cotton Mouths), and the Coral snakes. For the purpose of this article, we wi…