Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)

The most common and widespread venomous snake in NC, Copperheads are generally not aggressive nor deadly. Human bites usually occur only when stepped on or provoked, so it's best to simply appreciate them and leave these snakes alone when encountered.

	Orange Co., NC 21 July 2004 Copperheads are pit vipers, named for the pits between the mouth and the eyes. These pits house thermal sensors and are used to locate prey including insects, birds, rodents, lizards, & amphibians.
	same individual

Orange Co., NC
26 July 2004

Copperheads come in a few different color morphs and a couple of subspecies, but here in the NC piedmont is an intergrade zone. All 4 different individual snakes on this page were photographed from the same location (a research site in Duke Forest).

same individual

	Orange Co., NC 22 Sep 2004
	Orange Co., NC 22 Sep 2004 Note the vertical pupils.

Orange Co, NC
7 July 2006

Young Copperheads have bright greenish-yellow tail tips. This youngster was maybe 12 inches long at the most.

	Orange Co, NC 7 July 2006 Close-up of the tail color.
	Orange Co, NC 7 July 2006 Again, note the vertical pupils that most venomous snakes in NC have.

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Created on ... Sep 7, 2004 | Updated on ... July 16, 2006 | jspippen@duke.edu