Page 6 - Jupiter West - January '23

Page 6, Jupiter West
Northern Notes

Living With Snakes Eventually, it may rattle food sources like chronically spilled bird seed under feeders
its tail to scare off the or pet food scraps regularly.
By Katie Roundtree, threat. Rattlesnakes, If you are bitten by a venomous snake, call 9-1-1
Director of Finance and like many animals, immediately. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue maintains the largest
Administration, Northern would prefer to leave and only antivenom bank for public use in the United States
Palm Beach County a dangerous situation and provides antivenom to hospitals in the tri-county area, but
Improvement District silently. When given also deploys antivenom via emergent shipping to out-of-area
Living in Florida, you the opportunity, hospitals. If you have a snake, Africanized honeybee or large
have no doubt seen snakes rattlesnakes will flee or small animal emergency or nuisance, 9-1-1 will dispatch the
in your travels. A fear of from human encounters. If you see a rattlesnake in the wild, Venom Response Team.
snakes, or ophidiophobia, it is best to give it space or let it slither away. Attempting to harass, handle, or kill snakes significantly
is common in many people. What should you do when you come upon a snake? Just increases your chances of being bitten. It is best to adopt a
Interactions between people stand back and observe it. Snakes don’t purposefully position “leave it be” attitude for all snakes. This attitude can also help
and venomous snakes in themselves to frighten people. They’d much rather avoid to prevent the needless killing of harmless snake species. If you
residential areas are much less common than those involving encounters and will usually flee. are not 100 percent sure of the identity of a snake, “leave it be.”
nonvenomous species. The risk of snakebite (venomous There is no good reason to kill a snake except in the unlikely Information obtained from Florida’s Fish and Wildlife
or nonvenomous) is minimal. Snakes defend themselves situation of a venomous snake posing immediate danger to Conservation Commission at: http://myfwc.com/conservation/
primarily by fleeing but may bite if captured or harmed. people or pets. Snakes usually bite people only if assaulted; you-conserve/wildlife/snakes/.
However, biting is not a sign that they are dangerous; it is the it’s their only means of self-defense. Even a venomous snake NPDES tip: Please pick up after your pet. When pet waste is
only way most snakes have to defend themselves. in the woods or crossing the road poses no threat and should washed into lakes or canals the waste decays, using up oxygen
Depending on your point of view, Florida is blessed or cursed be left alone. Also, large snakes travel in large areas, so one and sometimes releasing ammonia. Low oxygen levels and
with a rich diversity of snakes. Forty-four species of snakes are you see in your yard today may be far away tomorrow. When ammonia combined with warm temperatures can kill fish. Pet
found in every conceivable habitat, from coastal mangroves the temperature is cooler or cold the snakes are very slow to waste also contains nutrients that encourage weed and algae
and saltmarshes to freshwater wetlands and dry uplands. Many move and mostly harmless. growth. Overly fertile water becomes cloudy and green –
species thrive in residential areas. The frequent sighting of snakes near dwellings or unattractive for boating and fishing. Perhaps most importantly,
Most snakes you encounter are likely to be nonvenomous. outbuildings may indicate the presence of rodents. Removing pet waste carries diseases which make water unsafe.
By recognizing snakes and understanding their habits, you can brush, lumber, or other debris accumulations will discourage www.stormwaterandme.org. https://floridadep.gov/water/
take a more relaxed attitude toward them and appreciate them rodents and snakes. Homeowners should also police rodent stormwater
as an integral part of Florida’s wildlife. Northern is thrilled that
greenways and preserves within our area can support a broad Financial Focus
diversity of wildlife, including snakes.
Only six of Florida’s 44 snake species are venomous, the
eastern coral snake, the southern copperhead, the cottonmouth, Worried About Inflation? mix to achieve your long-term goals, given your risk
the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the timber rattlesnake, and tolerance and time horizon.
the dusky pygmy rattlesnake. Out of the six, just four of them live Consider These Moves If you’re already retired …
south of Gainesville. Most Florida snakes are harmless and play • Consider part-time work or consulting. Once you retire
a key role by keeping rodent populations under control. Even the By Sally Sima Stahl from your career, it doesn’t mean you can never do any paid
venomous species are not particularly dangerous unless stepped As you know, inflation work again. If you’ve accumulated years of experience and
on or otherwise provoked. was big news throughout expertise, you could use your skills as a consultant. Also,
Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are solitary animals that 2022. But will it continue many part-time jobs are available for retirees. With the
are effective ambush predators. Since these snakes are cold- in 2023? And looking even added income from employment, you may be able to delay
blooded, they bask in the sun to regulate their body temperatures. further ahead, how should taking withdrawals from your retirement accounts and other
This species uses gopher tortoise burrows, armadillo holes, you account for inflation in investments, possibly extending their longevity. (Once you
stump holes and root channels to avoid inclement weather. your long-term plans? turn 72, though, you will need to begin taking money from
These shelters keep them warm when air temperatures become In regard to the first your 401(k) and traditional IRA.)
too cold for surface activity. While foraging, rattlesnakes use question, many experts • Delay taking Social Security. You can begin taking Social
vegetation for cover, relying on camouflage to conceal them. predict that inflation will Security when you’re 62, but your monthly checks will be
They are ambush predators, meaning they sit and wait in a coiled cool off this year, though substantially bigger if you wait until your full retirement age,
position for prey to cross their path. They use their thermal pits there are no guarantees. The high inflation of last year which will likely be between 66 and 67. (You could even wait
to help them locate warm-blooded prey. These snakes mostly is thought to have been caused by some unusual factors, until 70, at which point your monthly benefits will max out.)
eat mammals such as mice, rabbits, rats, and squirrels and such as a spike in the demand for consumer goods as the Of course, the ability to delay taking Social Security depends
occasionally eat ground-dwelling birds. world came out of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to on whether you can afford it, but it may be possible if you
When camouflage fails, and they feel threatened, the snake supply chain issues. Also, the war in Ukraine drove up oil work longer than you once planned or if you work part-time
will begin to puff itself up to look larger and more intimidating. prices, increasing the cost of manufacturing and shipping in retirement. But even if you do need to take Social Security
and driving up the price of wheat and other commodities. before your full retirement age, your payments will be adjusted
In any case, last year reminded us that inflation needs to annually for inflation — in fact, for 2023, benefit checks will
be reckoned with as you work toward your financial goals. rise 8.7 percent over 2022.
But how you respond to inflation will depend somewhat on We’ll always have to deal with some level of inflation – so
Captain’s was established in 1980 servicing your stage of life. So, here are some suggestions to consider: it’s a good idea to be prepared.
Palm Beach County and is a privately If you’re still working … This article was written by Edward Jones for use by
owned and managed company. • Contribute more to your retirement plans. If you your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Edward Jones,
Captain’s is committed to providing can afford to put more money away in your IRA and Member SIPC.
dependable, reliable and professional 401(k), you may want to do so. The more resources Edward Jones is a licensed insurance producer in all states
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561-798-2180 or 800-634-7890 www.captainsairport.com • Adjust your portfolio objectives with your financial Edward Jones Insurance Agency of California, L.L.C.; Edward
professional. Using tools such as “hypothetical” Jones Insurance Agency of New Mexico, L.L.C.; and Edward
illustrations, a financial professional can show you some Jones Insurance Agency of Massachusetts, L.L.C.
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advisor regarding your situation.
(561) 315-0144 than you once thought, you could request a hypothetical Contact us at (561) 748-7600, Sally Sima Stahl, AAMS,
getsetgo.annie@gmail.com showing how you might need to adjust your investment 1851 W. Indiantown Road, Ste. 106, Jupiter, FL 33458.
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