Recent Rains Bring Out Snakes

This may be a bad year for those people, and they can blame the wet weather from earlier this month.

"I hate them," said Wake County snake-hater Heather Weaver. "They are scary. I'll scream. . . I want to kill it."

Experts warn that this year's heavy rain has the slithering reptiles on the move.

"This year has just seen a lot more than normal," said landscaper Harry Jacobsen.

Jacobsen works in yards every day. Although he is no snake expert, he knows a snake when he sees one -- and this year, he has seen plenty.

"I guess it a was a black rat snake came out and, you know, jumped out of the bush where we were pruning," said Jacobsen of a recent encounter. "I held him up ... and still had about two feet left on the ground."

Dave Davenport, curator at the

Museum of Natural Sciences

in Raleigh, has a tip for people who encounter snakes.

"Basically, it is important to remember that if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone," Davenport said.

As for how to get rid of snakes, Davenport said: "Remove old log piles, flipped-over baby pools, habitat that snakes like to hide in and habitat that snakes' prey like to hide in."

Weaver said she'll try anything to send a snake packing.

"They're sneaky," she said. "Since the beginning of time . . . those snakes. They're sneaky."