AUGUSTA, Ga. ()- Summer through early fall is the peak season for snake movement and mating.

Georgia and South Carolina are home to six venomous snake species.

There’s the Copperhead, Cottonmouth/Water Moccasin, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Pigmy Rattlesnake, Canebrake/Timber Rattlesnake, and the Coral Snake.

But there are also nonvenomous snakes like rat snakes and black snakes.

They all usually hide in piles of vegetation, like leaves.

Experts say the best thing to do is remove those piles, so you won’t end up seeing them in your yard.

If you do spot a snake here’s a way you can tell if it’s venomous and not.

“In general, your venomous snakes look, like I said, like bodybuilders. They’re thick there. They just look kind of mean. They tend to be shorter. The long, skinny ones in general are the non-venomous snakes that we have. So you have a number of garden snakes, black snakes, those kinds of things. Got king snakes, which are great snakes, they eat rattlesnakes. So, a lot of those you’ll see around,” said Tonya Bonitatibus, Riverkeeper/ Executive Director for Savannah Riverkeeper.

She also says if you continue to see snakes around your house then there may be another problem.

“If you have a house where you have a high concentration of snakes, you probably need to look at why you have so many mice and rats. Right. So that is another big sign like especially around your house. If you have a good number of snakes, they’re eating something. So you might need to look at that too.”

If you do encounter a snake – the Savannah Riverkeeper says just back away slowly to avoid being bit.

And if you get bit by a snake; wash the area, call the poison center and get medical help right away. Do not use ice or a tourniquet.

Photojournalist: Dania Alawir