Have to sign in to read the article...I knew there was a reason I never clicked on WSJ articles...
I wonder if it has anything to do with the rains this year running them out of their normal territory and into peoples’ yards? Out here I see copperheads every year, and a cottonmouth now and then (nasty bastards and probably the most aggressive) plus plenty non venomous varieties. Spotted a 6 foot chicken snake a couple of weeks ago. Also common around here.
But with all the rains, their normal habitat could be flooded. I’ve seen that happen after tornadoes too, I always make sure I carry a pistol with me after a tornado hits, everything gets stirred up and pushed out of its normal living area.
Last year a hurricane flooded much of north carolina, flooding in Houston not long ago, (then again Houston floods easy, I’ve seen every underpass in town flood in a 2 inch rain), other places too. That always pushes these critters out of their normal areas. So I wonder how many of these are related to the excess water forcing them to find higher ground. Anywhere within a couple of hours of the Mississippi has had serious problems this year, I’m still seeing reports or crop failures or missed planting altogether from flooding earlier this year...i places it washed the topsoil away.
Hadn’t really thought of this till I read this thread, but any time you have flooding, they are forced to find higher ground, and then often they are in more common contact with humans.
You guys call them “chicken snakes” in Texas, too. I thought that was a North Alabama thing. What we call a “chicken snake” is technically a gray rat snake. I leave them alone to catch rats as long as they stay out of the house. They will get real ornery if you mess with them a little. Caught a couple back when my boys were young to teach them to respect and watch for snakes.
“Have to sign in to read the article...I knew there was a reason I never clicked on WSJ articles...”
That sucks. When I first read the article that wasn’t a problem. I went back and checked and you are right.j