How to stay safe during NC copperhead snake season

North Carolina’s copperhead season calls for practical steps to avoid unwanted encounters. Yard maintenance, like mowing grass and removing yard debris, helps reduce snake habitats and hiding spots. Experts warn that store-bought snake repellents and essential oils do not work, so focus on keeping your yard tidy and sealing off gaps where snakes or their prey might enter.

Always watch where you step or reach, especially in piles of weeds or near bushes, and supervise pets closely, as dogs often get bitten on the nose or limb while sniffing around. If you spot a copperhead, do not try to handle or kill it—give the snake space and seek medical attention right away if bitten.

Unlike some cicadas which are annual, periodical cicadas emerge only once every 17 years for a few weeks to mate and then bury themselves back in the ground. By CHUCK KENNEDY

NO. 1: COULD NC’S CICADA SEASON MAKE US SEE MORE COPPERHEADS? HERE’S WHAT WILDLIFE EXPERTS SAY

The hiss of cicadas is the copperhead’s dinner bell. | Published May 7, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska

This large copperhead snake was spotted by Theresa Westerman in her backyard.

NO. 2: STAY SAFE IN YOUR NC BACKYARD: KEEP COPPERHEADS & OTHER SNAKES OUT WITH THESE EXPERT TIPS

Here’s what a wildlife biologist says you should do in your backyard to deter snakes (and nudge them out when you see one). | Published May 9, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska

Copperheads are a venomous snake found in Ohio. By Chuck Liddy

NO. 3: DO SNAKE REPELLENTS WORK? CAN A DEAD SNAKE BITE YOU? FACT-CHECKING 15 NC SNAKE BELIEFS

We fact checked 15 common beliefs about snakes, including several about copperhead behavior. | Published May 16, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska

Copperheads bites are the most common venomous snake bite in the Carolinas. By The Sun News

NO. 4: COPPERHEAD BITE STORIES: WE TALKED TO 3 RECENT BITE VICTIMS ABOUT THEIR NC EXPERIENCES

What’s it like to be bitten by a copperhead? We talked to doctors and bite victims. | Published June 12, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska

An eastern coral snake is rare in Georgia, but are extremely venomous.

NO. 5: NORTH CAROLINA IS HOME TO 6 VENOMOUS SNAKES. HERE’S WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE

We may be more likely to see snakes this time of year, as the weather warms. Use this information to make encounters less scary. | Published March 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

A copperhead snake looks up at the Nature Museum in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010. By AP Photo/Chuck Burton

NO. 6: NC’S COPPERHEAD SEASON IS HERE. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE COMMON VENOMOUS SNAKE

Copperheads are the only venomous snake you’re likely to encounter in the Triangle and central NC. Here’s how to identify and avoid them. | Published April 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

Copperheads are the most common venomous snake in South Carolina. Local expert, Todd Metz, said he’s already started to see them in the Myrtle Beach area following the winter hibernation season. According to Metz, this year is not different in terms of the number of snakes he’s seen compared to previous years. By Janet Blackmon Morgan

NO. 7: A COPPERHEAD BIT YOUR DOG? WHAT NC VETERINARIANS SAY YOU SHOULD DO

Humans know to leave snakes alone if we see them. Dogs don’t. In case a copperhead strikes your furry friend, keep these tips in mind. | Published April 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted Brooke Cain

NO. 8: COPPERHEADS IN NC CAN VARY IN COLOR. SEE WHAT THEY CAN LOOK LIKE

To identify a copperhead, you can’t just go by color alone. Here’s what gives some copperheads a different look. | Published May 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.