Four States residents seeing increase in copperhead snakes - KOAM TV 7

A Southwest Missouri woman was bitten recently by a copperhead and some are blaming the heat for an increase in snakes in the area.

Linda Jimenez of Anderson, Missouri says she and others in the area have seen an increase in copperhead, the most common venomous snake in the state.

Since being bit last by a copperhead, Jimenez says she has become more cautious when going through her yard.

"I don't walk through my yard like I did after dark anymore," Jimenez says.  "I used to come out, I would even grill after dark, and walk back and forth through the yard and I don't do that now."

Her family has seen and killed 19 of the venomous snakes since July 5, a dramatic increase from the two or three a year she usually sees.

"All of the people that I've spoken to downtown said that this year for some reason there are just many more copperheads coming out - I'd like to know why," says Jimenez.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation snake bites rank just above falling space debris as a threat to human life.  They say there have only been two deaths in the state's history due to snake bites.

The departments website states approximately one-quarter of all bites are "dry", meaning the snake doesn't inject any venom.

Freeman-Neosho Emergency Director Tony Mitchell says it is important to get treatment after a snake bite.

"The venom would do a lot more to a child and would actually travel faster because of circulation, is faster than it would normally be for an adult," says Mitchell.

While Jimenez is on the mend and her swelling is going down, she just wants to warn everyone to be careful.