On social networks websites, apparently every snake in every picture is recognized as a poisonous copperhead.
Talena Chavis, owner of Cary-based NC Snake Catcher, comprehends the error. When you’re scared, it’s simple to see a brown pattern and believe a poisonous snake is spending time your home.
But there are lots of other kinds of snakes in North Carolina, and many are non-venomous. Some of the most typical non-venomous snakes in the Triangle are the black rat snake, the black racer snake and the brown (or dekay) snake. The black rat and black racer snakes are strong black grownups. The grown dekay snake, though it is little, has a pattern that can look comparable to a copperhead.
The lesson: Identifying snakes isn’t constantly simple.
“The hardest part of our black snakes is that neither snake is completely black when it’s born. They look completely different with dark brown spots,” Chavis said.
“People call me all the time thinking they have rattlesnakes or copperheads, not knowing this is a completely harmless snake that’s good to stay in their yard.”
The News & Observer spoke to Chavis for more information about the “copperhead” calls she typically gets and what she desires the general public to understand about these non-venomous, advantageous snakes.
Often misidentified: Brown (or dekays) snake or copperhead?
The brown snake, which professionals call the dekay from its latin name Storeria dekayi, is “the most victimized snake in our area,” Chavis said.
Homeowners believe these snakes, which can grow to simply over a foot long, are child copperheads, because both snakes are brown with a darker brown pattern.
“Dekays are the least known and most confusing because of their patterns,” she said.
There are a couple of indicators the snake in your backyard is a Dekay, not a copperhead:
• Size: Full-grown brown snakes are a foot and a half long at an optimum. The brown pattern can be misinterpreted for a mature copperhead, however child copperheads look much various.
• Color: Baby copperheads have neon green tails.
“I like to indicate my safety glove and state ‘A baby copperhead has this color on it. The dekay does not,” Chavis said.
• Habitat: Brown (or dekay) snakes are fossorial snakes, meaning they burrow under objects or in the dirt. You probably won’t see one up until you’re digging or raising pavers in your yard.
Copperheads are understood to sunbathe. They will squeeze themselves into existing fractures in structures, however you won’t discover them covered in dirt or below stones.
If you see one while you’re digging around your garden bed, don’t fret. The snakes are non-venomous, and their teeth are so little that they can’t pierce skin.
“Basically, if you’re not an earthworm, slug or snail, you’re safe,” Chavis said. “And if you’re a gardener, you’re going to want this little guy around.”
How to ID a black rat snake
Black rat snakes are called for their preferred foods (rodents), and they are exceptional climbers. Juvenile black rat snakes can look noticeably comparable to adult copperheads, however there’s one essential distinction: Black rat snakes are typically discovered in high locations.
“I often get calls that there’s a copperhead in someone’s attic. And I tell them, I’ll determine the kind of snake when I get there, but if you’re correct, it will be the very first time I take a copperhead out of an attic,” Chavis said.
“I still have never seen a copperhead in an attic, and I doubt I ever will. Black rat snakes like to climb, while copperheads stay low.”
• Color: The grownups have shiny black backs. Juveniles are light in color and have brown spots all over them, making them quickly mistakable for a copperhead.
• Size: Adult black rat snakes can mature to 6 feet in length.
• Food: Black rat snakes, like lots of other wild animals, follow the food.
“People freak out when they find black rat snakes because they are so big, but the truth is, if you have a black rat snake, you have rats (or some other kind of rodent),” Chavis said.
What does a black racer snake appear like?
These nonvenomous snakes in fact consume copperheads.
“The black racer is the unfriendly cousin to the black rat snake,” Chavis said, including that its name originates from its speed.
“It’s more aggressive, and it’s not afraid to tell you it’s hanging around. When people are watering their bushes, they like to pop their heads out, like dinosaurs in Jurassic Park.”
• Size: Black racers can grow to 6 feet in length, though their typical size is 4 feet. (Copperheads are 2 to 3 feet long.)
• Color: Juvenile black racers normally have brown areas, making them mistakable for a copperhead. Adult black racers are slim and black (or dark gray) with smooth scales.
• Food: Along with copperheads (and other snakes), black racers consume lizards, rodents and frogs.
What does a copperhead snake appear like?
While you can’t rely entirely on markings when determining snakes (unless you’re a specialist), it’s good to understand what copperheads appear like. Remember that there can constantly be variations in color and pattern.
• Pattern: Copperhead snakes are brownish-gray in color with an hourglass-shaped pattern on their backs, which looks like a Hershey’s Kiss.
• Color: Newly born or really young copperheads will resemble their moms and dads — other than they’ll have a brilliant yellow or neon green-tipped tail that darkens quite rapidly.
How to prevent snake issues
The NC Wildlife Resources Commission uses the following guidance for avoiding disputes with snakes:
• Declutter your backyard: Snakes look for locations with thick cover, specifically where rodents and other victim types are most likely to be discovered. By cutting bushes and plants, and by cleaning out stacks of rock, wood and other particles, the property around your home will be less appealing for snakes.
• Remove entry points: Close spaces and holes, which might motivate snakes to come within your home. Repair damage to siding and structures, and seal openings under doors, windows and around pipes.
• Be familiar with your environments: Watch where you step and where you position your hands when on strolls outdoors or doing operate in the backyard or garden. Be gotten ready for the possibility of coming across a snake.
• Educate yourself and others: Keep a considerate range from wildlife, and don’t touch them. Know the typical snakes in the Triangle and what they appear like. Pay specific attention to poisonous snakes.
(Source: ncwildlife.org)
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