Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – May 28, 2024 – Forget about snakes on a plane, how about those in your yard? The Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center can tell you how to identify the reptile crawling around your yard.

On Saturday, June 1, an expert will tell participants how to recognize venomous and non-venomous snakes.

Susan Tyree, an educator at the nature center, said the class will help identify different snakes people may encounter. “It’s strictly going to be about identifying. It’s not going to talk about what to do if you’re bitten,” she said.

Tyree said snakes provide billions of dollars of pest control for farmers in the state. They prey upon rodents and other pests that consumer farm products. She calls it free pest control.

Also, it’s illegal to kill snakes, unless someone is threatened by one, even venomous snakes. “A lot of people don’t know why” it’s illegal to kill snakes, she said, saying they’re friends of agriculture.

The nature center is located at 600 E. Lawson Road. To register, call 870-933-6787.

Other events at the nature center include:

Fishing in the Natural State is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4, at MacArthur Junior High School, 1615 Wilkins Ave. The Fishing in the Natural State program’s primary focus is 4th-12th grade students but can be adjusted for other ages as well. The curriculum covers subjects such as Fish ID, Fish Anatomy, Aquatic Habitats, and Human Impact through Science, Math, Art, and Language Arts.

On Tuesday, June 4, an alligator craft will be held from 1-4 p.m. at the Discovery Room at the nature center for children. No registration is required.

Also on June 4, an archery course is offered at the Nature Center from 9:30-11 a.m. for beginners through experts.

Beginners marksmanship: BB guns is offered on Wednesday, June 5, at the Nature Center from 9:30-11 a.m. Registration is not required.