{"id":756,"date":"2026-05-27T14:35:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T14:35:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=756"},"modified":"2026-05-27T14:35:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T14:35:33","slug":"can-you-keep-copperheads-away-from-your-home-nc-experts-share-tips-to-stay-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=756","title":{"rendered":"Can you keep copperheads away from your home? NC experts share tips to stay safe"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

This is the time of year when nature treats us to higher temperatures, longer days \u2014 and yes, snakes.<\/p>\n

Read more Will Wes Climer, lone GOP candidate for Ralph Norman\u2019s SC seat, cruise to victory?<\/a><\/p>\n

The reptiles \u2014 which tend to be more active during warm months<\/a> \u2014 play an important role in the North Carolina<\/a> ecosystem. But some residents may wonder whether there are ways to keep venomous copperheads and other snakes from slithering near their homes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re probably not going to prevent them, but you might minimize the chance that they\u2019re going to want to hang out,\u201d Jeff Hall, statewide herpetologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, told The News & Observer in a May 8 phone interview. \u201cCopperheads might still go through your yard on the way to something else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though you may not be able to prevent snake activity, you can take steps to try to reduce the likelihood of encountering them. Below, we explain some tips experts have shared with us.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re likely to see snakes near your North Carolina home<\/a>, unless you live in a high-rise building or have a paved yard, The N&O previously reported.<\/p>\n

When it comes to venomous copperheads<\/a>, wildlife officials say people sometimes are bitten \u201cwhen a hand or foot is carelessly placed on or very close to one.\u201d The snakes are brown with an hourglass pattern, which can make them hard to spot in nature.<\/p>\n

Here are some measures you can take to stay safe outside<\/a> your home:<\/p>\n

Snakes eat rodents, helping to balance the pest population. So, it\u2019s no surprise that snakes tend to go places where they may find prey. Rodents may be attracted to food, thick vegetation or small crevices, according to Falyn Owens, a wildlife extension biologist with the commission.<\/p>\n

Here are some steps you can take to make your outdoor space<\/a> less inviting to the tiny mammals:<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have a part of your yard where you definitely, definitely don\u2019t like any snakes, you probably want to maintain it as really short mowed grass or maybe even a patio or something like that, because that\u2019s just not going to offer much for snakes,\u201d Owens told The N&O in an April 8 phone interview.<\/p>\n

Read more Is Charlotte already trying to change how meetings work as mayor prepares exit?<\/a><\/p>\n

Copperheads are found throughout the state and live closer to humans compared to some other species.<\/p>\n

\u201cRest assured, if you do encounter one, it doesn\u2019t want anything to do with you and just wants to be left alone<\/a>,\u201d Owens previously told The N&O.<\/p>\n

Copperheads tend to mind their own business. Still, the wildlife commission estimates the species is behind more than 90% of the state\u2019s venomous snake bites<\/a>, many of which happen when people try to touch or kill the snakes.<\/p>\n

Here are some steps you can take<\/a> if you see a slithering visitor:<\/p>\n

But one action you may want to skip is using a leaf blower to try to scare the snake.<\/p>\n

\u201cSnakes don\u2019t have external ears, meaning they can\u2019t really hear sounds carried through the air quite like we can,\u201d Owens previously told The N&O. \u201cSnakes \u2018hear\u2019 mostly through vibrations in the ground.\u201d<\/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 27, 2026 at 10:12 AM<\/span> with the headline “Can you keep copperheads away from your home? NC experts share tips to stay safe.” <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Bryce Young\u2019s \u2018colorful\u2019 outburst goes viral. Carolina Panthers had this response<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How can you stay safe from snakes? North Carolina experts share how to reduce chances of seeing venomous copperheads in yards & what to do if you encounter one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":755,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nCan you keep copperheads away from your home? 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