Florida Snakes: Spot the Venomous Ones

0:00It's April 8th, I'm Corey with the story. This is Tampa Bay News, today, driven by AI. With warmer weather hitting Florida, snakes are coming out to play, especially around the Tampa Bay area. Out of about 50 snake species in the state, only six-packed venom, like the cottonmouth, coral snake, eastern diamondback, and pygmy rattlesnake. Spotting the difference ain't always easy, but here's the cheat code. For coral snakes, if red and yellow bands touch, that's the venomous one. Yellow, um, kilofellow. Don't get fooled by headshapether. Non-benemous snakes can puff up to look triangular when threatened. Look for thick bodies and rough scales instead. As more folks flock to Florida, snake habitats get squeezed, ramping up close calls and spring in summer when they're hunting and mating. People are spotting them more in yards and trails, but bites stay pretty rare. Experts push a live and let live vibe, since snakes keep rodents in check and feed bigger

1:00critters in the ecosystem. They're not out to get you, just doing their thing. Next time you see one slithering by, give it space and appreciate the wild balance it brings to our backyard jungles.