Expert warns of increased Copperhead presence as weather cools

FORT FISHER, NC (WWAY) — As the weather cools, you may be seeing more of a certain snake in our area. 

Copperheads are more active this time of year because they’re cold-blooded reptiles, and typically avoid the heat of summer and the cold of winter. That means they’re most active in the spring and fall.

Copperheads do have a venomous bite, but they don’t always use their venom when biting humans. Still, their bite can cause injury and in extreme cases, death.  

Karissa Bearer is an education curator for the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher. She said it’s easy to mistake copperheads for other snakes. 

“Most Copperheads are going to be between tan and rust in color, and you can really distinguish them from other types of snakes like this Corn Snake by the shape of their pattern,” she said. 

Bearer added if you see a snake in the wild, avoid disturbing them. 

If you find them in a space they shouldn’t be, like a heavily populated area, or around your home, you can call the aquarium, or the NC Wildlife Resources Commission and they’ll point you in the right direction for removal.