North Carolina

Every North Carolinian should know these facts about venomous snakes

Stories by News & Observer journalists, with AI summarization

Copperheads are the most common venomous snakes in North Carolina, often found hiding in leaf piles, wood stacks, and low ground cover. Learning to identify them by their brownish color and hourglass pattern, as well as the yellow or green-tipped tails of juveniles, can help you avoid dangerous encounters.

To stay safe, keep your yard tidy, watch where you step or reach, and never try to kill or handle a snake — most bites happen this way. If bitten, remain calm, wash the area, remove tight items, keep the limb at heart level and seek medical help. Never try to cut, suck, or freeze the wound.

Keep dogs on leashes and away from brushy areas, as pets often get bitten on the nose or leg while exploring.

Mecklenburg County is asking Charlotte residents to stop placing mothballs along trails and in nature preserves because it’s ineffective in deterring snakes, including the venomous copperhead.

NO. 1: WHAT IF A COPPERHEAD BITES YOU AND YOU DON’T HAVE CELL SERVICE IN NC? HERE’S WHAT TO DO

We talked to the medical director of NC Poison Control for his advice. Screenshot this story so you have it on your phone in an emergency. | Published June 15, 2023 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella

Juvenile copperhead. Note the yellow-tipped tail.

NO. 2: IT’S ‘BABY COPPERHEAD SEASON’ IN NC. HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE JUVENILE SNAKES

Fact or fiction: Are baby copperhead bites more venomous than adult bites? Here’s what the experts say. | Published August 9, 2023 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella

This copperhead snake, estimated to be 2 to 3 years old, was discovered in a Raleigh garden on Thursday, June 13, 2019. It was captured by Southern Wildlife and Land Management in Raleigh and relocated to game land away from homes near Jordan Lake.

NO. 3: WHERE DO COPPERHEAD SNAKES GO WHEN THE WEATHER TURNS COOL IN NC? WE ASKED THE EXPERTS

Snakes are ectothermic, meaning they are influenced by the temperatures around them. | Published October 11, 2023 | Read Full Story by Kimberly Cataudella

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

NO. 4: 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

Mark Danaher an Ecologist with International Paper holds a glass lizard he found in the Bear Garden tract of 14,391 acres that The Nature Conservancy acquired in a deal with International Paper as part of an acquisition of 38,320 acres in eastern North Carolina. By Robert Willett

NO. 5: IS THAT A SNAKE OR ONE OF NC’S THREE LEGLESS LIZARDS? HERE’S HOW TO TELL

Glass (legless) lizards look remarkably snake-like. We talked to wildlife experts to find out how to tell the difference. | Published May 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

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

NO. 6: 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

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

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.