The Copperhead

Copperhead snakes are the cause of most of the snake-bite problems in the United States. The copperhead can be distinguished by its thick shape and its neck, which is quite distinct from its body as well as by its pale cross-band tan pattern that darkens in the middle and on the sides.

Copperhead snakes have pale bellies, similar to the ground on which they live, but they sometimes appear pretty whitish. There are visible spots or pits on the head of copperhead snakes that look like darker tiny specks, but there is also a rather discolored stripe on the head area behind the eyes; this stripe looks very diffuse on top but it gets brownish towards the edges.

Copperhead snakes live in a wide variety of habitats. They can be found under rocks, in woods and on river banks or in pond areas. Their choice of abode is dictated by the presence of prey, as copperhead snakes live on frogs, small rodents, cicadas, lizards, caterpillars and anything else that is no match for their size.

Probably the most common haunts for copperhead snakes are wood piles, stone slabs, walls, debris and abandoned or ruined buildings, which explains the possibility of a face to face encounter in such areas. Copperhead snakes are active from March to October, with a hibernation period in the cold autumn and winter months.

The dens into which copperhead snakes retreat during winter are their homes year after year, and usually there are more specimens living in the same place. In summer time when it is too hot outside, copperhead snakes will stay in the shade during the day and go out to hunt at night. On pleasantly warm days, the copperhead will simply bask in the sun on rocks or wood debris. Copperhead snakes do not hatch eggs, but give birth to live young. The number of young varies between one and fourteen. The mating period extends untill mid autumn.

The bites of copperhead snakes must have immediate medical care since they are not only very painful but they may also lead to permanent scarring and tissue loss. Avoid copperhead snakes when you come across them, since many people get bitten when trying to kill or handle them.

Snakes will not harm you unless they feel threatened, then, you will become the victim of a fierce attack by a creature that is just as afraid of us as we are of them. Statistics reveal that copperhead snakes have the highest incidence in bite frequency in the United States, because these snakes attack quite out of the blue without giving threatening warnings like other species.

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