In person, on screen, we’ve all seen our fair share of snakes. Behind glass, snakes give us little reason to fear them. Out in the open in our bushes or basements, snakes strike fear in many of our hearts. It’s no fun to find a snake curled up in the drain you’re about to clean, the bush you’re about to trim or the flowerpot you’re about to fill. It’s even worse when your beloved cat or dog brings the snake to you. Fortunately, most snakes are harmless. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to know how to deal with them.

Some snakes are poisonous and some are not. It is essential that you know the difference, especially if you live in an area with a lot of snakes. Find out what poisonous snakes are common in your area and learn to identify them. Do the same with non-poisonous snakes, in particular garter snakes, as these are most often found in lawns and gardens. The more you know about the snakes you may encounter, the better equipped you will be to deal with them.

Whether poisonous or not, your best bet is to move away from any snake you encounter, unless you’re within striking distance. In that case, stay very still and wait for the snake to slither away. Do not, under any circumstance, attack the snake. It will feel threatened and may try to bite you. Do not attempt to pick up the snake and move it, unless you know for certain that the snake is not poisonous and you have some experience in handling snakes. Again, the snake could bite you, and while the bite may not be poisonous, it could be very irritating.

Once you’re out of striking distance, resist the urge to run back to the house, grab a shovel and kill the snake. Remember, snakes eat insects, mice and other pests. Kill it, and you will lose out on a measure of natural pest control. If the snake is poisonous, you should think twice about killing it. One wrong move, and you could end up in a very bad way-could you get the right medical treatment in time?

Leave the snake be, and it should move on. If it is trapped, injured or in a position where it cannot be tolerated, call your local animal control office. Officials there will know the best course of action to take, and if removal is needed, where to take the snake.

Unfortunately, there is no surefire way to prevent snake encounters other than to relocate to an area where there are none. There are some steps, however, you can take to make your lawn and garden less attractive to snakes. Some of these include:

• Clean up! Remove all weeds, junk, compost heaps, woodpiles and any other areas where snakes might hide. Trim your bushes and mow your grass. The fewer places snakes have to hide in your yard, the less likely they’ll stick around.

• Clear out! Got lots of grasshoppers, mice and other tasty tidbits that snakes like to munch on? Get rid of them through chemicals, mowing, etc., and you’ll get rid of any snakes hanging out in your yard.

• Put off! Snakes hate mothballs. Consider scattering some around your lawn and garden, but make sure they’re out of the reach of little hands. Mothballs are toxic to kids. There are many other snake deterrents available, from chemicals to fencing. Take a look online, but keep in mind that nothing is 100 percent effective.

For those that fear them, snakes can be of great concern. Learn as much as you can about them, including what to do in the event of a bite, and take care to reduce your chances of a snake encounter. Imagine enclosing your flowerbeds with snake-proof fencing and never catching another one there again. How great would that be?