BOUNTIFUL — Now is the perfect time for rattlesnakes to start slithering their way into deserted areas, and possibly local homes.

With the likelihood of finding a rattlesnake relatively high during the hottest portion of the year, knowing what to do when you find one is very important.

Jason Jones, an aquatic species biologist with DWR, said that rattlesnake encounters don’t always have to lead to a scary experience.

“Rattlesnakes are neat and novel members of our native reptile community,” he said. “They control pests and are very important to Utah’s ecosystems.”

There are eight subspecies of rattlesnakes, but the most common in Davis County is the Great Basin rattlesnake. Other snakes can be found in rock and talus slopes around Utah.

Jones said that because many snake species are camouflaged, many people could have been close to a snake and never have known it.

For more information check out July 19 edition of Davis Clipper.