Watch Your Step! Texas Is the Official Snake Capitol of the U.S.

"There's a snake in my boot" isn't just a funny saying here in Texas, it's reality.

Snakes, those slithering creatures that send many people running for the hills. In Texas however, you've most likely become accustomed to these scaly reptiles.

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According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas is home to approximately 76 species of snakes. Now if you count species and sub-species, then we're looking at 115 or more kinds of snakes, making it the highest number in all of the United States.

Don't get too scared, though. Only 15% of the total snake population in Texas is venomous. On the other hand, if you were in Australia, you'd face a venomous snake population of 80%!

Snakes to Look Out for:

• Corral Snakes
• Copperheads
• Cottonmouths (AKA Water moccasins)
• Rattlesnakes

The vast majority of Texas' snakes are non-venomous and completely harmless. You'll see snakes slithering around when the weather is hot during the early morning, evenings, and night-time. Snakes aren't fans of the cold, and will hibernate during the winter months, then re-emerge in late February or early March.

While snakes may seem terrifying, they're not all bad. Yes it's true that snakes are predators, but we need them.  Snakes play a very important role in nature by hunting insects, rodents, and other small creatures. You can think of snakes as free pest control. In Texas we have an average of 2-3 deaths per year from snakebites, compared with 5 to 7 for insect bites and 8 for lightning.

If you're looking for an area without snakes, you'll have to move out of the country. There are no snakes in Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand, or on numerous south sea archipelagos.