The Member for New England became a Twitter sensation over the weekend after he stopped on a road near Tenterfield to move what he described as the first snake of the season off the road.

Mr Joyce said the snake was still alive but discovered its head had been squashed by a car.

“I saw him and was going to move him off the road, but unfortunately his head had been crushed,’’ Mr Joyce said.

“People think snakes go and hide for the entire winter, but they don’t. They will come out on the warm days.

“If they’re on the road it means the temperature is up over 20C.”

Mr Joyce admitted he had a soft spot for the reptiles, but was surprised about how much traction the picture had gained on social media.

“I put it up on Twitter and it went off,’’ he said.

With snake activity increasing during the warmer months, the Department of Parks and Wildlife is reminding people to be cautious while outdoors.

Dog owners have been urged to be careful when walking their pets in bushland. 

To reduce the risk of snakes in the backyard, people are urged to keep yards clear of long grass and discard household rubbish and building materials that provided snakes with shelter.

Keeping aviaries and surrounding area free from bird seed will also deter snakes’ favourite prey, such as rats and mice.