If you’ve started spotting snakes around your property as the summer rains roll in, you’re not imagining it. Late June through the heart of the rainy season is one of the most active stretches of the year for snake encounters across Southwest Florida. Warm temperatures, heavy afternoon storms, and abundant prey all combine to put more snakes on the move, and that movement frequently brings them into yards, gardens, pool cages, and lanais throughout Manatee and Sarasota counties.
The good news: most of what you’ll see is harmless. The better news: you don’t have to handle any of it yourself. Here’s what’s going on this time of year, and how to respond the right way.
Why You See More Snakes in Summer
Florida is home to a remarkable number of snake species. State wildlife officials count 44 native species, and only six of those are venomous.[^1] That means the overwhelming majority of snakes you encounter in your yard are non-venomous and are actually working in your favor by keeping rodent populations in check.
Summer simply concentrates the activity. The rainy season raises humidity and floods low-lying ground, which pushes snakes (and the rodents and frogs they hunt) toward higher, drier areas, often the landscaped edges of homes. One pattern wildlife professionals see every year: cottonmouths and other water-associated snakes turning up in residential swimming pools during the rainy season as they search for cool water and an escape from the heat.[^2] Snakes are also skilled climbers and can follow tree limbs or palm fronds onto a roof and into an attic in pursuit of prey.
In short, if your property offers food, water, and shelter, summer is the season snakes are most likely to find it.
The Six Venomous Species (And Why You Still Shouldn’t Panic)
Florida’s six venomous snakes are the eastern coral snake, the southern copperhead, the cottonmouth (water moccasin), the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the timber rattlesnake, and the dusky pygmy rattlesnake.[^1] In the Manatee–Sarasota region, the cottonmouth and the dusky pygmy rattlesnake are among the more commonly reported.
Even so, state guidance is clear that venomous species are generally not dangerous unless they’re stepped on or provoked, and that snakes bite people almost exclusively in self-defense when they feel cornered.[^1] The single most effective safety step you can take when you see any snake is also the simplest: stop, give it space, and leave it alone.
It’s also worth knowing that some Florida snakes, such as the eastern indigo snake, are protected by law, and several non-native species are spreading through the state’s waterways.[^1] Misidentifying and killing the wrong snake can be both unnecessary and, in some cases, illegal — another reason to let a licensed professional handle identification and removal.
What To Do If You Find a Snake
When you spot a snake in or around your home, follow a few straightforward rules:
- Keep your distance. Most bites happen when someone tries to catch, move, or kill a snake. Standing back and simply observing it eliminates nearly all of the risk.[^1]
- Don’t try to relocate it yourself. Professional advice for a snake in a pool, lanai, or yard is to call for removal rather than attempting to move it by hand.[^2]
- Keep kids and pets indoors until the snake has moved on or been removed.
- Note where it went. If it slips under a deck, into a garage, or toward the pool cage, that information helps a technician locate and capture it quickly.
- Call a pro for indoor snakes. A snake inside the living space, garage, or attic should be removed by someone trained to do it safely.
Resist the urge to reach for a store-bought snake trap or repellent. There are very few consumer products that work reliably, and it’s usually far more effective and safer to have the snake removed by an experienced wildlife company.
How Wildlife Trapper Handles Snakes
At Wildlife Trapper, snake removal is one of our core services across Manatee and Sarasota counties. Our team handles the full range of situations homeowners run into: a snake in the yard, pool, or lanai, a snake that’s found its way indoors, and properties dealing with repeat sightings.
Just as important as removing the snake in front of you is addressing why it showed up. Snakes follow food and shelter, and frequent sightings near a home often point to an underlying rodent problem. Our approach pairs humane removal with prevention: we identify and seal the gaps that let snakes (and their prey) get close to or inside the structure, and we point out the habitat features — brush piles, debris, overgrown vegetation, spilled birdseed, accessible pet food — that draw rodents and, in turn, snakes.[^1]
We’re licensed, insured, and family-owned, and we’ve been serving the region for more than 20 years. We use humane methods and don’t rely on poisons or harsh chemicals.
Simple Ways To Make Your Property Less Snake-Friendly
You can reduce snake encounters this summer with a few yard-level habits:
- Clear the clutter. Removing brush, scrap lumber, and debris piles eliminates the hiding spots that both snakes and rodents prefer.[^1]
- Cut off the food supply. Clean up spilled birdseed under feeders and don’t leave pet food outdoors — these attract the rodents snakes hunt.[^1]
- Keep vegetation trimmed. Overgrown shrubs and tall grass along the foundation give snakes cover right up against the house.
- Mind the water’s edge. Pools, ponds, and chronically damp areas draw snakes during hot, dry stretches of the rainy season.
- Seal the structure. Gaps around the foundation, soffits, and rooflines let snakes and rodents inside. Professional sealing is the most durable fix.
When To Call
If you’ve seen a snake indoors, near a pool or play area, or repeatedly in the same spot, it’s worth a call. And if there’s any chance a snake is venomous and it’s close to people or pets, don’t take the risk of getting near it — let a professional handle it.
Wildlife Trapper serves Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties as well as the greater Tampa Bay area. Check our full coverage on our service areas page, and reach out anytime through our contact page for a free inspection.
📞 Call or text: (941) 729-2103 | Toll Free: 1-866-263-WILD | 24/7 Emergency Service Available
Footnotes & Sources
All sources are government wildlife agencies or publicly funded materials appropriate for commercial citation. Content above is original and paraphrased; please consult the linked sources directly for full details.
[^1]: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) — Living with Snakes: https://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/snakes/
[^2]: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) — Nuisance Wildlife / Snakes guidance (rainy-season behavior and “leave it alone” advice): https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/nuisance-wildlife/