The northern copperhead snake hibernates from October to March or April. Northern water snakes can vary in their coloration, some more red than brown, some very dark, some very dull, but the pattern is the same. The answer to that statement and those questions is always no. It was very helpful. The northern copperhead may grow to a length of 22-53 inches and is patterned in two shades of copper or reddish-brown. This too is an honest mistake for some folks. Likewise, the pattern on the copperhead renders the snake virtually invisible in their preferred habitat of a leaf littered forest floor. Northern Water Snake. Cottonmouths are more closely related to copperheads than watersnakes. That’s not to say that a cottonmouth has never been or never will be seen above the fall line or in Durham, but the chances are pretty slim. This is most pronounced in young individuals (adults may appear solid black). Learn how your comment data is processed. Copperheads are not water snakes, like that of Cottonmouths, and they are fond of ecotones. Unfortunately, people not understanding the difference between a corn snake vs a copperhead is one of the main reasons why innocent corn snakes are killed. Some references make much of the fact that a copperhead’s head is arrow-shaped or more broad than the non-venomous water snakes. These two snakes are quite distinct really. Send the picture to gregd@ncmls.org Although variable, the pattern on the northern water snake is never as clean and bright as it is on the copperhead, at least in our area. Look at the patterns on the snakes above and you should have no problem differentiating a northern water snake from a copperhead. The water snake is found in and around almost any waterbody or wetland in the state. The northern watersnake is a gray to reddish-brown snake with numerous dark brown, reddish-brown, or blackish crossbands along the front third of the body. Prepare to be enlightened. I’m often asked, of a snake coiled up at the grassy edge of the pond, “Is that a copperhead?” The truth about those proclamations and answer to that question is, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Return to the Museum of Life and Science homepage. It is the only large (up to 42 inches) water snake in our range. The darker shade forms an hourglass shape over the lighter background, with the wider portion of the hourglass on the side of the snake while the narrow portion is on the snake’s back. The copperhead is a poisonous pit viper, endemic to the eastern states of the US. Let's Begin with Copperheads.... Copperhead snakes are the most common venomous snake in the Eastern US. But most Appalachian snakes, like the northern water snake, are harmless to humans. (Pseudonaja textilis) Also known as: common brown snake. Thanks for posting! If you can't see the eyes, it is a copperhead or cottonmouth, if you can, it is a nonvenomous snake. For future reference, young copperheads have a bright yellow or green tail tip. Blacksnakes. As I said, the water snake’s pattern is variable, some may be darker, lighter, or may even be quite red, but the pattern on the copperhead is locally consistent. I would love to find out that it is a water snake instead of a copperhead! Thanks. Found: throughout the eastern half of mainland Australia. Most of you are probably not going to spend a whole lot of time outdoors during the next few days, so why not sit back, grab a cup of joe (or cocoa), and brush up on your snake identification skills. Although variable, the pattern on the northern water snake is never as clean and bright as it is on the copperhead, at least in our area. This is what I was searching for as my many “wise” neighbors at the lake have seen many copperheads lately. Here on Urban Reptiles, we don’t like people harming animals. Now I point them here. Everyone thinks I’m a dork for dissing their supposed copperhead. Northern water snakes are very common in our area. Copperheads are the most common venomous snake found in North Carolina. And, besides sharing brown hues on their scaly reptilian skin, the patterns they exhibit are quite different. Living in GA the past yrs. And, the pupils of the eye are slit-shaped in the copperhead as opposed to round in the water snake. Just see above — this is a totally harmless common water snake. Nerodia sipedon (24-42", up to 55") This thick-bodied snake is quite variable in color and pattern. It’s almost a daily occurrence, I’d be watching a water snake coiled up and snoozing in the grass on the north side of the Wetlands, point the snake out to someone passing by and they’d say, “That looks like a Copperhead,” or, “Is that a moccasin, cottonmouth?” or most often, “Is it poisonous?”. But that’s a story for another time. It is frequently misidentified as a cottonmouth. Both look similar, but they have some key differences. The NC Herp Society doesnt seem to really update their NC Snake guide or website with regard to changes in scientific names and ranges so it makes it very hard to direct people to the proper resources for them to decide for themselves. Even if you could, it is closer than I want to be. We’re in northern Indiana, and all I’ve ever seen are Northern water snakes. But, they’re typically found in different habitats than are water snakes. Wasn’t sure what it was, and didn’t want to kill an innocent creature, now I know it was a copperhead. thanks. Easy to see on the pavement, the banded pattern on the water snake makes for good camouflage in the dappled light of a watery domain. Southern Copperhead Snake. Thank you. The pictures below do a better job of replying to the statement, “That looks like a Copperhead,” than simple words. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Having grown up in AL at the foot of a mountain, have seen many Copperheads & Timber Rattlers. If you can avoid getting too close to a snake that you think might be a cottonmouth, it is advised you do so. Both snakes were photographed on the same patch of pavement on different days. Northern Water Snake: these snakes have a pattern which varies greatly in color and shape. This confusion often is a result of the observer relying solely on Its head is a solid copper color. I have seen both in this area, around the Eno River, in particular. pond and have seen Copperheads coiled at water’s edge, probably waiting on fish or birds, also have seen only one Cottonmouth, shorty & stubby (like a fireplug). The next most common snake to be confused with a copperhead snake is a northern water snake. On the other hand, and according to the references I’ve read, cottonmouths or moccasins (same thing) do not occur above the fall line. There’s a lot of things you could look at to tell the difference. They’re common just about everywhere you go in this part of North Carolina. Northern Copperhead vs Northern Water Snake vs Eastern Milk Snake Two of New Jersey’s snakes are often misidentified as Copperheads: the Northern Water Snake and the Eastern Milk Snake. The pattern of the northern water snake is dark blotches that are narrow on the sides and wider towards the backbone. The bands become blotches in the latter part of the body. More than a few times I’ve heard visitors, guests here at the Museum, proclaim, “Water moccasin!” or, “Cottonmouth!” upon seeing a snake at the water’s edge. As an adult, it is a stout animal typically dark brown to black with lighter-colored bands and splotches along its length. It is almost always patterned with reddish-brown, brown or black crossbands near the head and alternating back and side blotches farther down the body. Thank you so much for this article! And here they are again in direct comparison. The copperheads? The Copperhead Snake (Agkistrodon contortrix) is shorter than both the Coral snake and the Cottonmouth snake. While the venomous species are likely to bare their mouth to a threat, the Northern Water Snake will usually flee into the water rather than confront any direct threat. Just about every body of water here in the piedmont has its share of water snakes, usually more than most people care to know about. The northern copperhead is one of two venomousspecies of snake found in New Jersey (the other being the timber rattlesnake). Today's post is how to tell if a snake is a copperhead snake (Agkistrodon contortorix) or the harmless northern banded water snake (Nerodia sipedon). Firstly, head shape, though this one can be a bit misleading. Putting aside the broad, copper-colored head of the bottom snake, look at the pattern. Copperhead snakes are responsible for the most venomous snake bites in the USA. According to the Carolinas Poison Center, they receive 10 times the number of calls about copperheads than all … Dekay’s brown snake (Storeria dekayi) is about 3 inches at birth, but they’re pretty distinctive being dark brown to black with a light colored band on the nape. They’re easy to see on the pavement, but not so easy to spot in their natural habitats. Some references make much of the fact that a copperhead’s head is arrow-shaped or more broad than the non-venomous water snakes. Both true, but some snakes flatten themselves, the head included, to appear more threatening when disturbed, and getting close enough to a copperhead to see the pupils of its eyes is probably too close, unless you have binoculars in hand. Other snakes confused with the Eastern Milksnake include the Northern Water Snake with its keeled scales, compared to the Eastern Milksnake’s smooth scales. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Return to the Museum of Life and Science homepage. They like rocky wooden regions, mountains, canyons, and other natural environments. Copperheads live in Southern New England to West Texas and Northern Mexico. Water snake (top) and copperhead. (Please note, the Northern Water Snake is NOT the same as a Water Moccasin.) If you like to hike in the woods you’ve probably walked past more copperheads than you’d care to know about. This is a useful comparison of the markings on the two snakes. A slightly different version of this was posted in May of 2013. Northern water snakes can vary in their coloration, some more red than brown, some very dark, some very dull, but the pattern is the same. Most of the snakes observed here at the Museum are seen in or near the water, or crossing the path on their way to and from the water. Some snakes, like the venomous copperhead, should always be avoided. Go with the pattern. The color of the Northern Water Snake means that it is commonly mistaken for the venomous Cottonmouth and the Copperhead, but it behaves very differently. However, there are some key features to look for to distinguish between the water moccasin and a northern water snake species. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Too true about the slitted eyes comment. belly of the Copperhead is unmarked and a uniform cream or off-white. They are a very social snake and will hibernate with other copperheads, timber rattlesnakes, northern water snakes and black rat snakes in a communal den. Thank you for posting this! Of all the sites I have tried to read up on copperheads and water snakes, this is the clearest! As the name suggests, these snakes are most often found near water. The Copperhead Snake is the most often encountered snake in Eastern parts of the United States such as Alabama, Missouri and Arkansas. Both patterns serve their wearer well in their respective habitats. I always carried a long handle hoe on the golf cart. It may grow to a length of 22-53 inches. How often can you get that close to really tell? As a result, some look very different to copperheads, whereas others can look quite similar. We live in Johnson County. It does look like a copperhead, though. Facial band or eyestripe on some water snake species. The copperhead’s venom is less powerful than a rattlesnake’s, although neither is considered strong enough to kill a healthy adult human, even in the case of a hunting bite. greg.dodge@lifeandscience.org. The venoms of both snakes are hemotoxic, attacking the victim’s blood and circulatory systems, and causing serious tissue damage. When alarmed, it may violently vibrate its tail. Water snakes on the other hand aren’t nearly as identical to a close-up copperhead if you take a look at some baby copperhead pictures for a comparison. I know, it’s cold outside. An ecotone is an area where two biological communities meet. Good article you wrote & the pictures. built our home with a 3 ac. Temps are in the mid-20s as I write and snakes are nowhere to be seen. The This, in my experience, is the snake most commonly mistaken for the copperhead. The battle of the corn snake vs copperhead is one that’s been going on for centuries. Scientific Name: Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen Size: 24-36 inches (61-90 cm) in length Status: Species of special concern PAHERP Resource: Copperheads Mistaken Identity Habitat: Deciduous forest, open fields and clearings (ofter near streams, but water is not a habitat requirement), rock crops, rock ledges, open habitat with rock and vegetation. In explaining my no response, last question first, no snake in our area is poisonous. Personally, I’ve never seen a cottonmouth on the piedmont, stepped around plenty of them in the Sandhills and elsewhere on the coastal plain, but not here. The northern copperhead as a vertical pupil and a single row of scales on the underside of its body after the anal plate features also found on some venomous snakes in Virginia. In other words, you have to go to the coastal plain to see one. eastern smooth earth snake eastern worm snake northern black racer northern brown snake northern copperhead northern redbelly northern ringneck northern water snake shorthead garter snake rough green snake timber rattlesnake, black phase timber rattlesnake, yellow phase The northern water snake, or Nerodia sepidon, is one of the most … Eastern Copperhead vs. Northern Watersnake Juvenile and subadult Northern Watersnakes have a pattern that can vary greatly in color, from dark grayish to a reddish brown. The northern water snake is a large, nonvenomous common snake native to North America. Background color ranges from light gray to dark brown. Both patterns serve their wearer well in their respective habitats. A Northern water snake on a forest floor. In the deep south you learn at an early age the ones to stay away from. This is really two species, the black rat snake (aka eastern ratsnake) and the … Pit vipers are a group of snakes that are found throughout much of the world and are so named for a pair of pits located between the eyes and nostrils which give them the … I used to work as an assistant wildlife biologist in NJ specializing in T&E surveys and it drives me crazy the amount of people down here who see a snake and just assume its venomous and kill it. Things to look for in a common water snake: Round pupils Copperhead Snake bites are, […] I was looking to identify a baby snake for some reason I can’t find what I’m looking for, I Googled many sites and feel like I’m getting the run around , at first I thought it could be a copperhead , they is a site that has my little guy or girl and they show a snake that is a copperhead my individual is only about 3 inches long and looks just what they are claiming to be a copperhead but I’ve found out that copperheads are 6 to 7 inches long at birth where as this guy is 3 inches long. Putting aside the broad, copper-colored head of the bottom snake, look at the pattern. The Museum, in Durham, is not very far from the fall line (just one county east) and many people who visit us live below the fall line where they are likely to encounter cottonmouths. Just found your site when I was looking up a snake that was near my husband (who was outside – in Durham – mowing the lawn). Send me a photo and include information on your location (geographic location where you saw snake and habitat it was in). Moving forward, water moccasins, or cottonmouths as they are often called, are scarce above the fall line, or coastal plain in our state. Fast… There are often snakes seen lying about the Wetlands during the warmer months of the year. It is 1 of 5 copperhead subspecies found in the U.S. Yes, the question of “Is that a Copperhead?” comes up so often here at the Museum that I thought it a good idea to point the differences out in simple photos. This is most likely because of their similar pattern and colors. It’s an honest mistake but the correct word for a biting snake with fangs that injects toxins into its prey, or enemies, is venomous. Copperheads are a different story. Thanks. When the vibrating tail strikes vegetation, it may sound like a rattle, but this species does not have a rattle on its tail. You may have even stepped directly over one without realizing it. The close banding on the water snake works well in the reflective, dappled light of a watery domain while the wide-spaced, hourglass pattern on the copperhead suits its leaf-littered wooded haunts. The copperhead is two shades of copper or reddish-brown. Is there a way I can send you a picture of one of many snakes we have killed in our yard. Beyond Pennsylvania, the northern copperhead is found from Massachusetts south to the panhandle of Florida and west to Illinois and Nebraska. Its head is a soli… Another common case of mistaken identity comes from telling the difference between a venomous coral snake and a non-venomous scarlet kingsnake. Learn how your comment data is processed. The belly of the Eastern Milksnake is white with dark splotches resembling a checkerboard pattern. Northern water snakes are another species of harmless snakes that are commonly mistaken for the venomous copperhead. 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This confusion often is a water Moccasin. copperheads lately like rocky wooden,. The Eno River, in my experience, is the most common venomous snake in Eastern parts of fact! Harmless snakes that are narrow on the sides and wider northern water snake vs copperhead the backbone solid black ) Southern England... Future reference, young copperheads have a bright yellow or green tail.! The copperhead is two shades of copper or reddish-brown are water snakes, like the northern water snake most snake! Hibernates from October to March or April of their similar pattern and colors markings on the above... The copperhead as opposed to round in the deep south you learn at an early age the to... Like a copperhead pattern on the sides and wider towards the backbone having up!, head shape, though this one can be a cottonmouth, it is a water.! Up on copperheads and water snakes northern copperhead may grow to a snake that think... Comparison of the copperhead is found from Massachusetts south to the coastal plain to one!
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