So over the past few years we've established that people are moving in, and now we know people WANT to move in, so maybe we can do a little public-service work for our newcomers.
AL.com's Margaret Kates recently did a story for the website on Alabama's rattlesnakes. Here, we'll broaden that and list all the venomous ones to get everybody up to speed.
This is stuff you need to know.
First, note the use of the word "venomous" and not "poisonous." Things that are poisonous will get you when you eat them or drink them or maybe handle them. Things that are venomous are delivering the venom to you with a bite.
Some snakes and spiders are venomous. Puffer fish and some frogs and plants are poisonous.
There are six venomous snakes, not including any of the Democrat or Republican varieties, that call Alabama home.
1. Coral snake
We'll start with the very colorful coral snake with all its red and black and yellow bands. The thing with the coral snake is that it looks like some varieties of kingsnake. So we all learned rhymes in school to tell them apart.
The best one to use is "Red touches yellow, kill a fellow."
2. Copperhead
Its name describes its color. It's tannish with tan-to-brown, hourglass-shaped crossbands, and rarely longer than 3 feet. It's not an aggressive snake, but it does tend to freeze and hide instead of slithering away, making it likely the most-encountered venomous snake in Alabama.
3. Cottonmouth
This one's also known as the water moccasin because it's often found in swampy areas or near water. Guess what his mouth looks like when he opens it?
The cottonmouth is related to the copperhead. The adults are much more black and have a pixilated-looking version of the hourglass crossbands.
4. Ground rattler
Some people -- biologists, perhaps -- call this one the pygmy rattler. They become more common as you move toward the Gulf Coast. When they coil, they cover about the same area that a big pine cone does.
5. Timber rattler
It has a chevron pattern that's darker than the background, and there's usually a brownish stripe running down its back. Timber rattlers don't like urban areas, so you're much more likely to find them in the deeper woods.
6. Eastern diamondback rattlesnake
The granddaddy of 'em all. It's located in the southern half of Alabama. With a high-end length of up to 8 feet, it's the biggest rattlesnake in the world and the biggest venomous snake in Alabama.
And, in a previous story, Auburn herpetologist and veteran Alabama snake researcher Jimmy Stiles called it the most dangerous snake in the U.S.
It has that gorgeous scaly diamond pattern from its heads to its rattles, and some folks say it's pretty solid deep-fried with hush puppies.
Which brings to mind: On a future similar segment welcoming newcomers we could do one suggesting which local foods to try and which ones to let pass.
