About Snakes
Skilled predators, snakes help maintain the balance of nature
by eating prey that reproduces frequently, everything from earthworms to
rabbits. Snakes are especially important in the control of rodents such as mice
and rats.
Venomous Snakes in
Coral Snakes
Only one species of coral snake is native to
Pit Viper
A pit viper is a type of venomous snake. Copperheads,
cottonmouths and rattlesnakes are called pit-vipers because they have a pit
near each nostril which is highly sensitive to heat. This pit helps the snake
in locating warm-blooded prey. In
Copperheads
Copperheads have chestnut or reddish-brown cross bands on a
lighter colored body. These snakes are found in rocky areas and wooded
bottomlands and are rare in dry areas. In the spring they can be found along
streams and rivers, as well as in weed-covered vacant lots. There are three
subspecies of Copperheads in Texas; Southern copperhead (A.c.
contortrix), 20-30 inches long and found in the
eastern one-third of the state; Broad banded copperhead (A.c.
laticinctus), about two feet long, widely scattered
in central and western Texas; and the Trans-Pecos copperhead (A.c. pictigaster), 20-30 inches
in length and found near springs in the southern part of the Trans-Pecos.
With their bands of gray and/or brown, the three subspecies of
The Latin name piscivorous means
'fish- eating,' indicating its dietary characteristics. Also known as 'water
moccasins', only one recognized subspecies is found in
Cottonmouths can be dark brown, olive-brown, olive green or
almost solid black. They are marked with wide, dark bands, which are more
distinct in some individuals than in others. Juvenile snakes are more
brilliantly marked. The cottonmouth gets its name from the white tissue inside
its mouth, which it displays when threatened. This heavy-bodied snake, which
averages about 3-1/2 feet in length, is found over the eastern half of the
state in swamps and sluggish waterways, coastal marshes, rivers, ponds and
streams.
The cottonmouth, or water moccasin, rarely strays far from
water and can be found in marshes, swamps, ponds, lakes, ditches, and canals in
East and
Swimmers, bathers and anglers on river banks should always keep
an eye open for these snakes.
Rattlesnakes
Nine kinds of
rattlesnakes are found in
There are two groups of rattlesnakes: the more primitive forms
belong to the genus Sistrurus.
Western massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus), light gray, with brown oval blotches along the
middle of the back and smaller blotches along each side. They are two feet in
length and found through the middle of the state in grasslands, marshy and
swampy areas.
Desert massasauga (
The more advanced forms of rattlesnakes belong to the genus Crotalus and
Western diamondback
(Crotalus atrox) has brown,
diamond-shaped markings along the middle of the back and alternating black and
white rings on the tail; averages 3 1/2 to 4-1/2 feet in length, and can reach
seven feet. This is the most common and widespread venomous snake in
Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus
horridus) also known as Canebreak rattlesnake is a
large, heavy-bodied snake averaging 4-1/2 feet; brown or tan with wide, dark cross
bands; tail is entirely black; found in the eastern third of the state in
wooded areas in wet bottomlands.
Mottled Rock rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus) is light bream or pink background with widely
spaced, dark cross bands and mottled areas between the cross bands. It is small
and slender with an average length of about two feet and is found in the
mountainous areas of
Banded Rock rattlesnake (C.l. klauberi) is similar to the mottled rock rattlesnake, but
darker greenish-gray in color. It is found only in the extreme western tip of
Blacktail rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) is gray to
olive green with dark blotches along the back and a black tail. Averaging a
length of 3-1/2 feet, it is found from
Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) is similar to the western diamondback in
markings, but smaller and more slender and found only in extreme
Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis) is a slender
rattler that is greenish or grayish, with rounded blotches down the middle of
its back. Its average length is about three feet and is found in the grassy
plains of the western third of the state.
About Centipedes
Centipedes
do not carry diseases to man or to his animals and plants. They are usually
considered nuisances rather than destructive pests. Centipedes pose an
occasional threat to man because they have poison glands and will bite.
There are many kinds of centipedes but all of them are more or less
wormlike and have a flattened body. The largest centipede inhabits the tropics
of
Like all centipedes Scolopendra can
inflict a painful bite with a pair of poison claws located directly under the
head. These poison claws, once a pair of walking legs, have 
undergone
a drastic change over thousands of years and are now used for capturing and
killing their prey instead of walking. So complete is the change and so close
is the association with the head, the claws now appear to be mouth parts.
Most centipedes can only bite with their poison claws located
directly under the head; however, Scolopendra can
harm a person with the sharp claws of its many walking legs. Each walking leg
is tipped with a sharp claw capable of making tiny cuts in human skin. A poison
produced from the attachment point of each leg may be dropped into the wounds
resulting in an inflamed and irritated condition. The best rule of thumb is
NEVER HANDLE CENTIPEDES.
Scorpions
are non-insect arthropods. All species of scorpion are poisonous.
The presence of pre-existing medical conditions such as
pneumonia, hypertension, and certain heart ailments can turn otherwise normal
systemic reactions into life threatening situations. Persons with such
conditions are at greater risk of severe envenomation than are healthy persons.
Some people are allergic to scorpion venom in the same way that some are allergic to honey bee venom. In such cases, very severe effects, including death, can occur very rapidly and are not related to the toxicity of the venom. Deaths due to envenomation by non-medically important species are usually the result of allergy induced anaphylactic shock.
About Tarantulas
Tarantulas
are solitary animals and can live up to 30 years. They are nocturnal hunters
and are generally non-aggressive. Moreover, they can live in burrows that are 2
feet deep. This species (Aphonopelma) has the longest life span of any other
spider. Furthermore, most tarantulas are killed by predatory wasps called
Tarantula hawks. The Tarantula hawks sting their prey and use the dead
tarantula body to lay their eggs in. In addition, the offspring of the
Tarantula hawks rely on the leftover body parts to supply them with food.
Unlike other spiders, tarantulas use their silk to line their burrows instead of catching their prey. They have a pair of silk producing spinnerets located on the abdomen. Moreover, the female tarantula uses her silk to protect her delicate baby eggs. In addition, tarantulas shed their skins (molt) to adapt to their growing bodies.
Tarantulas are HARMLESS to humans and
most pets (e.g., dogs and cats). Their venom is of no medical significance, and
contrary to popular belief, nobody has ever died from such a bite; most people
compare the bite to that of a bee sting and experience no lasting ill-effects
other than mild to moderate pain and slight swelling at the site of the bite.
Most species are nocturnal, and if one shows up in or around your house, it is
just because he is trying to hide out during the day to return to his search at
night (or maybe you have female tarantulas living around your house). In
If you do not feel comfortable having
tarantulas around, please gently chase the spider into a jar with a leaf or
other long object with a soft end, and deposit it as far away as you feel
comfortable. Remember, these animals are completely beneficial to humans,
feeding on cockroaches, crickets, scorpions, and likely mice and other rodents.
Poison Ivy and Poison Oak, common names applied to two
plants of a genus in the cashew
family, are capable of producing an allergic reaction in people who have become
sensitized to them. Poison ivy and poison oak are variants of a single plant
(sometimes treated as separate species by botanists), different mainly in the
shape of their leaflets. Both are woody perennial plants of roadsides,
thickets, hedgerows, and open woods, and one or the other is found throughout
the
Poison ivy and poison oak contain a lacquer-like resin in
their sap. The resin is composed of active substances that provoke a
sensitizing reaction in most, if not all, persons the first time effective
contact occurs. Brushing past the leaves or the bare stems may result in
contact. Contact with exposed pets, clothing, or garden tools many induce a
reaction. Smoke from burning ivy plants may carry the resin and affect all
uncovered parts of the body.
After a person has become sensitized, subsequent contact with the
resin produces the typical allergic reaction of ivy poisoning. The effects do
not become apparent for some hours. First, the skin reddens and begins to itch.
Small watery blisters soon appear, often in lines indicating the point of
contact with the plant, and the itching becomes intense. Finally, in severe
cases, large watery swellings appear and coalesce. The condition is
self-limiting, and recovery takes place in one to four weeks, even without
treatment. A physician should be consulted in severe cases or if sensitive
parts of the body, such as the eyelids, become involved. Scratching slows
healing, invites infection, and may spread the resin from one location to
another; the watery fluid in the blisters does not spread the reaction. Boric
acid solution or calamine lotion is commonly used to relieve itching. Some or
all of the resin may be removed by prompt and vigorous scrubbing with strong
soap.
