A weather warm-up often brings out the snakes in Tennessee.
According to the Tennessee Herpetological Society, most snakebites happen in April through October.
The snake responsible for most bites in Tennessee is the copperhead, a snake with mild venom. Other venomous snakes native to Tennessee are the cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake, and pigmy rattlesnake.
According to the Society, a snakebite in the United States is rare, and death from snakebite is even rarer.
Of the 50,000 deaths that happen worldwide each year, only 12-15 of those happen in the U.S.
The top five states you are most likely to die from include: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Alabama. All of these states have species that are more lethal than those found in Tennessee.
According to statistics provided by the Society, approximately 3,000 of snakebites reported in the U.S. are classed as “illegitimate,” meaning the victim was handling the snake when the bite happens.
85 percent of bites are below the knee while 50 percent are considered “dry” bites, where venom is not injected.
