{"id":241566,"date":"2026-04-09T06:00:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T06:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/241566\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T06:00:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T06:00:16","slug":"its-snake-season-in-texas-what-to-watch-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/241566\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s snake season in Texas: what to watch for"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"responsive-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/rattlesnake under bed.jpeg\"   width=\"1140\" height=\"641\" title=\"A rattlesnake was found curled beneath a bed in a Del Rio, Texas home on March 23. The snake was removed safely with no injuries, police said.\" alt=\"A rattlesnake was found curled beneath a bed in a Del Rio, Texas home on March 23. The snake was removed safely with no injuries, police said.\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        A rattlesnake was found curled beneath a bed in a Del Rio, Texas home on March 23. The snake was removed safely with no injuries, police said.<\/p>\n<p>            City of Del Rio Police Department<\/p>\n<p>As temperatures rise across Texas, you\u2019re more likely to come across a snake<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/news\/state\/texas\/article315213201.html\"> in places you might not expect<\/a>, from walking trails to your own yard.<\/p>\n<p>Wildlife experts say that\u2019s not unusual, as warmer weather and longer days bring peak snake activity across the state.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/news\/state\/texas\/article315237112.html\">Texas is home to more than 100 snake species<\/a>, but only a few are considered venomous.<\/p>\n<p>What you\u2019re most likely to see often depends on your location and surroundings.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what to know.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udd25 In case you missed it&#8230; <\/p>\n<p>        Which snakes should I watch for in Texas this summer?<\/p>\n<p>The four main venomous snakes to watch out for are rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths and coral snakes, according to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/tpwd.texas.gov\/education\/resources\/texas-junior-naturalists\/snakes-alive\">Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Copperheads are one of the most common snakes you\u2019ll run into. They\u2019re known for blending in with leaves, dirt and wooded areas, which is part of what makes them easy to miss.<\/p>\n<p>Rattlesnakes, especially western diamondbacks, are also found across large parts of Texas and are usually recognized by their thick bodies and the rattling sound they make when they feel threatened.<\/p>\n<p>Cottonmouths, sometimes called water moccasins, are more likely to show up near water like lakes, creeks and ponds. They\u2019re known for opening their mouths to show a white interior as a warning sign.<\/p>\n<p>Coral snakes aren\u2019t seen as often, but they are highly venomous. They have bright red, yellow and black bands, and you might\u2019ve heard the saying \u201cRed on yellow, kill a fellow; red on black, friend of Jack,\u201d used to tell them apart from harmless snakes.<\/p>\n<p>Nonvenomous snakes like rat snakes and bull snakes are also common, and show up in yards, attics or fields where they feed on rodents.<\/p>\n<p>Even with these species, experts say most snakes aren\u2019t looking to interact with people and will usually move on if they\u2019re left alone.<\/p>\n<p>Where am I most likely to see snakes in Texas?<\/p>\n<p>Snakes can be found across all 254 counties in Texas, according to TPWD, but certain environments tend to attract them more than others.<\/p>\n<p>Areas with tall grass, brush, woodpiles or debris can create ideal hiding spots, especially during the hotter months.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re near a lake, creek or pond, you\u2019re more likely to come across cottonmouths or other water snakes because moist environments tend to support frogs and other prey, which can draw snakes closer, according to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/schoolipm.tamu.edu\/2021\/06\/01\/watch-out-for-snakes\/\">Texas A&amp;M AgriLife Extension Service.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>You might also see snakes along walking trails, near rocks, or even on pavement early in the morning.<\/p>\n<p>In neighborhoods, snakes can show up in yards, garages, sheds or even inside homes if they\u2019re searching for food or shelter.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRodents are one of a snake\u2019s favorite meals, so avoid areas where mice and rats may be, such as trash, brush and rock piles, stacked lumber and stone walls fences,\u201d TPWD said.<\/p>\n<p>Recent flooding can also increase your chances of seeing snakes.<\/p>\n<p>According to Texas A&amp;M AgriLife, heavy rain can push snakes out of their usual hiding spots and into higher ground, which may include residential areas.<\/p>\n<p>What should I do if I see a snake?<\/p>\n<p>If you come across a snake, the best thing you can do is leave it alone and give it space.<\/p>\n<p>Experts say most bites happen when people try to interact with snakes instead of leaving them alone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you know you are going to be in snake territory, wear boots, thick jeans or chaps and gloves,\u201d TPWD said. \u201cNever reach under rocks or into holes or other blind crevices. This is definitely asking for trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>        Related Stories from  Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n<p>                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/profile\/286016036\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Tiffani_Jackson.jpg\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" alt=\"Profile Image of Tiffani Jackson\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n                    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>                <a class=\"author-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/profile\/286016036\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tiffani Jackson<\/a><\/p>\n<p>                    Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n<p>            Tiffani is a service journalism reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions about life in North Texas. Tiffani mainly writes about Texas laws and health news.\n            <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A rattlesnake was found curled beneath a bed in a Del Rio, Texas home on March 23. The&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":224837,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[116,118,117],"class_list":{"0":"post-241566","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fort-worth","8":"tag-fort-worth","9":"tag-fort-worth-headlines","10":"tag-fort-worth-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=241566"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241566\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/224837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=241566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=241566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=241566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}