ByteVibes

Unsettling footage has surfaced of a large snake slithering across the porch of a property in North Carolina.

In the video, which was filmed outside a home in the town of Advance, around 15 miles southwest of Winston-Salem, in July, the reptile can be seen moving around the porch railing.

The snake then appears to be attempting to climb a section of the porch's pillar. All the while, high winds and rain batter the property yet have no apparent effect on the snake's efforts.

The incident was captured on a Ring device, with the security camera firm passing the footage on to Newsweek.

The clip gives viewers a clear indication of the snake's size and is likely to make for uncomfortable viewing for anyone with a fear of them living in the region.

Snakes are not an uncommon sight in North Carolina. The North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission estimates the state is home to no fewer than 38 different species of snake.

According to the web resource Natural Sciences, six types of venomous snake can currently be found in North Carolina. These are the copperhead, cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake, pigmy rattlesnake, eastern diamondback rattlesnake and eastern coral snake.

Though it is difficult to ascertain whether the snake in the video was indeed venomous, the appearance of such a large reptile in close proximity to a residential property may well have left the homeowner experiencing a few sleepless nights.

With temperatures rising over the summer months, cold blooded creatures like snakes tend to emerge in search of food, shelter and a mate. This can often result in increased contact with humans. But while an encounter with a snake is one most people would probably rather avoid, experts have been urging the public to stay calm and avoid harming the reptiles in these situations.

According to Jeff Hall, a reptile conservation biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Commission, injuring or killing snakes would be a mistake,

"Snakes help control the rodent, slug and insect populations," he explained in a statement issued by the commission. "There are many ways we can coexist with snakes, which is important because of [the] 38 of North Carolina's native snake species, 10 are listed endangered, threatened or of special concern."

The internet is littered with horror stories about homeowners having surprise confrontations with unwanted reptile guests though.

Earlier this year, a woman in Illinois was left terrified after discovering a snake lurking inside the toaster in her new home. Even worse unfolded in Georgia, where a giant snake was able to break into a property and unwittingly start a fire.

Anyone worried about coming across a snake can take precautions to reduce the risk of a surprise encounter. These include removing any nearby areas of cover outside the house, mowing the lawn regularly and storing firewood away from the property and several inches off the ground.

Keeping pet and bird food out of reach and checking any and all cracks and openings around the house is also essential. The full list of tips can be found here.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

");jQuery(this).remove()}) jQuery('.start-slider').owlCarousel({loop:!1,margin:10,nav:!0,items:1}).on('changed.owl.carousel',function(event){var currentItem=event.item.index;var totalItems=event.item.count;if(currentItem===0){jQuery('.owl-prev').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-prev').removeClass('disabled')} if(currentItem===totalItems-1){jQuery('.owl-next').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-next').removeClass('disabled')}})}})})

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrK6enZtjsLC5jqWmp59dqLuit8RmqqWhpJ2ys7%2BMqK2eql2lvLOvx2apmqGcnruoec6uq6yhlJp6qbvMnmStnaKntqfFyKeeZpuTqcNur8uip2ZpaGeGeoCP