Forgo the baseball cap or eye shade, and select a hat with a wide brim all the way around to protect ears and neck as well as your face. Protect eyes with sunglasses that filter UV rays. This is often the reaction of people who come into contact with these common Iowa wildlife. Our fears are often the result of a combination of childhood experiences and a great deal of misinformation. Educators find, however, that if we can replace the myths about these animals with facts, the fear is very often replaced with interest.
Snakes are reptiles.
As such, they have a backbone, often with over 300 vertebrae. They lay eggs and do not care for their young after birth. The skins of snakes are smooth and dry, feeling much like the leather on your shoes. Instead, their eyes are covered by a clear single scale that is shed and replaced each time they shed their skin. While lizards have external ear openings, snakes have none.