{"id":142,"date":"2026-05-14T16:06:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T16:06:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=142"},"modified":"2026-05-14T16:06:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T16:06:12","slug":"is-it-a-copperhead-or-a-non-venomous-lookalike-how-to-tell-the-difference-in-nc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=142","title":{"rendered":"Is it a copperhead or a non-venomous lookalike? How to tell the difference in NC"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

Snakes are slithering around North Carolina \u2014 and so are cases of mistaken identity.<\/p>\n

Read more Two people die in south Charlotte crash after vehicle veers into oncoming traffic<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople call me all the time thinking they have rattlesnakes or copperheads, not knowing this is a completely harmless snake<\/a> that\u2019s good to stay in their yard,\u201d Talena Chavis, owner of the Triangle-based business NC Snake Catcher, previously told The News & Observer.<\/p>\n

Before you spot a snake, experts encourage you to get familiar with the species that call North Carolina home. Here are some tips for identifying venomous copperheads and their non-venomous lookalikes.<\/p>\n

Of the more than three dozen types of snakes in North Carolina<\/a>, only six are venomous<\/b>. Many of them have similar traits, leaving room for potential misidentification.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople see a snake, and immediately adrenaline shoots up,\u201d Jeff Hall, statewide herpetologist for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, told The N&O in a Friday, May 8 phone interview. \u201cAnd you know, all bets are off on what (kind).\u201d<\/p>\n

The confusion extends to copperheads, the species that the commission said is likely behind more than 90% of the state\u2019s venomous snake bites<\/a>. Here are some common harmless species people mistake for copperheads, according to experts:<\/p>\n

Copperheads, which are found<\/a> throughout the state, are often more active at night and on warmer days<\/b>. Unlike some snakes that stay far from people, this species is comfortable living near humans, The N&O previously reported.<\/p>\n

While the snakes don\u2019t have a pattern on the top of their heads, the rest of their bodies are brown, gray or pink with darker bands that look like<\/a> Hershey\u2019s Kisses<\/b> candies on the sides, according to the wildlife commission and the N.C. State Extension.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bands are widest on the side and narrowest at the top,\u201d Hall said. \u201cSo when you look at them from the top of the snake, it looks like an hourglass pattern.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though not all copperheads look the same, here are other common characteristics<\/a> to look out for:<\/p>\n

\u201cMany people refer to their pattern as \u2018Hershey Kisses\u2019 however it\u2019s important to note that there are significant variations<\/b> even within the species when it comes to color and pattern,\u201d Chavis told The N&O in a Friday, May 8 text message. \u201cOften times we see dots between the \u2018kisses\u2019 as well as broken saddles where the kiss does not extend fully over the back of the copperhead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more The first big test for 2027 Charlotte mayoral hopefuls just arrived | Opinion<\/a><\/p>\n

When figuring out<\/a> whether a creature is a copperhead, you may not want to rely on the shape of its head. That\u2019s because some non-venomous species mimic the triangular shape<\/b> when there\u2019s danger, N.C. State University professor Ivana Mali wrote in an online Q&A.<\/p>\n

To find out other ways to distinguish copperheads from non-venomous snakes, we gathered information from experts. Here\u2019s a breakdown of characteristics for the common ones:<\/p>\n

Northern watersnake<\/b>: reddish brown with blotches on one part of the body and bands on the other<\/p>\n

Rat snake<\/b>: green or black, with 5- to 6-foot body shaped like a loaf of bread<\/p>\n

Racer snake<\/b>: black body with white chin, reaching roughly 4 feet long<\/p>\n

Brown (or dekay) snake<\/b>: light brown, with red and gray coloring and spots on the sides<\/p>\n

Copperheads tend to mind their own business but sometimes come near homes. To help stay safe<\/a> during yard work, you can wear protective gloves and look before reaching under bushes, The N&O previously reported.<\/p>\n

If you see one of the snakes, stay calm and keep your distance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best thing you could do is just go back in your house for an hour or something like that, and come back outside,\u201d Hall said. \u201cThe snake will have moved on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Copperhead bites should be treated seriously and are rarely deadly, The N&O previously reported. If you get bitten<\/a>, here are some tips from the N.C. Poison Control website:<\/p>\n

Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea you\u2019d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.<\/p>\n

You can submit your question by filling out this form<\/a><\/b>. <\/p>\n

This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 12:00 PM<\/span> with the headline “Is it a copperhead or a non-venomous lookalike? How to tell the difference in NC.” <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Read more They paid tens of thousands toward \u2018dream homes.\u2019 Then this NC company ghosted them.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What do copperheads look like? What if you\u2019re bitten? Here\u2019s how to identify the venomous snakes and harmless lookalikes mistaken for them in North Carolina.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nIs it a copperhead or a non-venomous lookalike? 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