Timber rattlesnakes are common only in some very localized areas. All other poisonous snakes are either exceedingly rare or absent in Iowa. Keeping your foundation and siding in good repair will keep not only snakes from entering your house uninvited, but also mice and insects. Cleaning up hiding places like boards or piles of junk in the yard will limit available habitat for snakes. On the other hand, providing constructed well pits or other hibernacula below ground is an excellent way to attract these important predators to your property, if you so desire.
Snakes are a fascinating part of Iowa's wildlife diversity.
Watch them respectfully from a distance and you will learn to appreciate their adaptations and roles in the natural world. For more information about snakes, contact the Iowa DNR for a copy of The Snakes of Iowa, a publication of the Iowa Wildlife Diversity Program. Acreage Living is published monthly. For more information, contact your local county ISU Extension office. Acreage Living is published monthly.