here is the picture...

Tough to tell from that pic, but the triangular markings in line down its back does look like it could be those of a copperhead... https://www.google.com/search?q=copperhead+snake&biw=1124&bih=875&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI0__juu_lxgIVC5MNCh2_ZACE&dpr=1

It sure looks like the copperhead pics I have seen. I have been here in the country for 10.5 years and haven't seen one yet but I hear that they are everywhere here in central NC.

Yikes how scary... I haven't seen my lizards for a while, hope that doesn't mean a viper moved in and dispatched them.

I was looking up images for snakes and saw this does look like the copperhead.. It confirms what my neighbour (now had moved) told me long time ago.. that we have not just the rat snakes (loonng black) but also these poisonous copperheads. Her choclate labrador do, Nestle, was bitten by one ; he passed away.

Thanks all for confirming

Everyone, please be extra careful. I could not have seen it, till my husband pointed it out when it was moving..

I have seen a fair number of the black snakes. I don't know if other snakes have the same habits but: I have a wood working shop/garage. It includes a chest of small and medium drawers, perhaps three and five inches wide and three inches deep. I keep nails, screws and other assorted stuff in them, but when I moved the chest in, it was empty and I didn't load it all back up immediately. One evening, I found one of the drawers partially stuck and then realized it was filled solid with a curled up black snake that didn't move. I left the drawer and door partially open, and a couple days later the snake was gone.

Also, re caution: several years ago, I recall a snake post from trianglejohn where he said that he often gardened barefoot. I don't recall whether he thought he would change his ways or if he wasn't worried, or something else. John??

If you get a confirmation on it being a copperhead, be extra careful. If you can easily afford an exterminator, get one. If not, just be careful, and clean up or change the conditions which attract them to nest. I say this not to scare you, but rather by way of prevention. While some snakes are loners, copperheads tend to be somewhat gregarious. They will den with many others.

That is a copperhead. They prefer leaf litter which makes them hard to see. They also prefer cool temps so you often see them out in the evening and early morning in the summer. They eat rodents including voles so they are welcome in my garden. I still often garden barefoot. I finally got smart enough to carry a flashlight at night when I take the dogs out for their last walk around the house (lots of leaf litter and snaky places. No brains in the dogs. Tiny brain in the owner). If you should ever get bitten most people will not die from a snake bite (if its a native snake). Just stay calm and go to the hospital. The people that have the most trouble are the people that don't go to the hospital or they wait until they get really sick from the poison.

Yes, definitely a copperhead... I used to live in a home that backed up to a very wooded area. My family and I cleared out all the underbrush so that we could garden and build a fire pit. One spring, I was clearing out leaves I had left out from the previous fall. As I was raking, I hit a loose patch of soil and out came several baby copperheads. So, yes, they LOVE leaf litter, whether to hide out and keep warm or to nest.

The leaf litter was mulch to prevent weeds growing too much near the bin.. Well!! IT blended so well. Now I have that on the walk ways too in the garden beds area... What to Do?

Come to think of it, That is what I must have seen when I was preparing my garden beds for the Luffa squash plants. Dug a little and out came a few tiny snakes and they did look like this one.....

This is in a pool area, so, I am assuming the momma must have been feasting on the frogs ( a ton of them in the pool) and decided to make home right there!!! This was a few years ago and i did not think much about it , as I had planty of the long black rat snakes.

These rat snakes sometimes come lounge on the house entry door inside the garage. Silly little thing you can barely see it ;s only when it moves.. OHHH My!! I close the door and wait for it to go out of the garage...

John, Yea!!! to the barefoot.. I cannot do it anymore as they are too many sweet gum tree's gum balls !! THey hurt!! ouch!!:-(

I do not have problem with snakes living closeby... Most of them are helpful to us..eating Rodents, rabbits etc.. I just do not like seeing them snakes!! Native or non native, poisonous or non poisonous.. Why can they not understand it is not good to show up uninvited !!! HUH? and that too when you least expect them.

My first encounter ( In India) a huge python, writhing his entire length to push something he ate ..... I was a child 7-8 years... Well we were playing near a well ... and ran fast home to grandma and let her know what we saw..The whole Village came out to see the Python.. The ladies started praying and the men, plotting, on how to get rid of this thing.....

The second close encounter ... I was collecting specimens (during my Phd research ) and was going back to the lab with the specimens...What do I see, down from the corner of my eyes; something slithering over my feet and going away... pretty long.. black..Well that was a Cobra.. folks.. We do have plenty of those in the rice fields ( Mice) . The only reason I did not get bitten was I wore boots that particular day ( yes , Chas we do not wear them too often in India; sandals are more comfy). Eeek !! I stayed away from the farm for a week!!

rgreen48,

I did call them once, when i saw the really long rat snake ( I just moved to NC and was totally in panic mode);

He said "well, what can we do?"

I said" catch him quick". ( silly me)

He says " it is not poisonous".

Me " I don't care, I do not want to see them.. Come quick"

he " We can come tomorrow if you like, not today, we are busy, it is the season"

Me" Ok ! I will speak to the snake and tell him not to move a muscle till you come. if not it is not going to be easy to catch him in my big backyard"

he just laughed and put the phone down.. End.

I felt so foolish after that..

I think I would feel frustrated from such a response, but you shouldn't feel foolish. After reading some of your responses, I think it would be good for you to make sure that any areas around the yard where they would like to make dens are cleaned up, but if it was just hunting, then one snake shouldn't be a huge problem.

Now that you know it could be there, you might get in the habit of making noise when you are in areas where it may be lurking. Snakes, like most creatures, usually won't attack unless scared, cornered, or their nest is threatened.

Because it is poisonous, I wouldn't encourage its presence, especially would I not want it to nest, but they are great at keeping other pests at bay.

Thanks!

Oh Yes! I learnt that since the Cobra incident. The locals there taught us to walk noisily.. I sometimes just forget that.. Need to be more careful..

Seriously I have been thinking of all sorts of things to do in the yard to discourage them in my "walk" zones"

1. Mow grass

2. Keep paths clear.

3. Make noise when in yard.

4. Keep on the lookout all the time ( the hard one)

5. Remove any piles of leaves in one place for them to hide.

6. Burn that huge wood pile.

7. Be careful when getting the mulch from the mulch pile.. You never know where it is..

8. Looking for anything that would repel snakes. I have heard, a peacock is a great addition to keep snakes at bay. Now Iam not sure how expensive they are to acquire and how to take care of them.. They are noisy.. too. Maybe makes a good security guard.

What else would repel snakes.. Not snake oil.. hehe

I forgot one more...

8. The compost bin... I guess I made a mistake by placing it on the ground.. I should have raised it by placing it on bricks.. :-(.. The snakes love to nest in it.. .. What do i do now? I might have to do something in winter...

A lot of snakes like to lay their eggs in rotting leaves and wood chips. Copperheads give live birth so that shouldn't be an issue with them. I've seen cats kill and eat copperheads and supposedly opossums like to eat them too. If my yard was 'snaky' meaning that I saw a lot of copperheads every time I went out in it, then I would not use leaf litter or wood chips I would switch to straw. I would make all the pathways wide and uncluttered and I would do everything I could to reduce the number of rodents (copperhead food). If that didn't do the trick I would invest in a tall pair of easy-to-slip-on boots and sturdy gloves.

Thanks John! Great suggestions all of them!!!

I am not sure of the boots.. Wearing shoes in Summer is a chore!

I will just be more careful!! Will try to keep the walkways clear etc.. I did try straw once and the grass grew everywhere... I am still cleaning up the walkways... :-( Bad straw bales!!

To be fair, it was the first and only one( the copperhead I mean) we have seen in 20 years... Mostly rat snakes... the others snakes i mentioned earlier, were in India, long time ago..

You know My neighbour's cat does come everyday, in the evening to make a round of my yard!! Looks like she is going to be a welcome visitor from now on.. Moreover, I do have hawks flying low in my yard too in the afternoon... The crows seems to go after them.. Not sure what is going on.. but I see this pretty often.. I was thinking voles and other rodents.. ( they do seem to thrive in the back in the wooded area with a small pond). Maybe they are taking care of them already..

Just hope not to have anymore"close encounters of the snake kind" Far away no problem.. Like the one in the" festival for the eno" I love that festival.. I got a few pics of the Owl...

Try pine straw next time. Grass straw is one of my favorite mulches because it breaks down quickly and earthworms thrive in it (they eat cellulose which is what straw mostly is). It can get stinky and messy though.

don't know if anyone said this, but copperheads can be aggressive. Other snakes will "run" but not copperheads. Be very careful. Where other snakes give a warning like rattling their tail, I've even seen non-venomous do snakes do that, but a copperheads warning is to strike.

I did not know that!! Thanks!! Now I do not ever wanna see them . One encounter is way more than enough for a life time!!

Trust me, I do not even stare at them.. the longest was, when I took the photo from oh, so far away.. just to confirm it was indeed a copperhead.

They can live wherever they want... Just do not like seeing them.

I think this one came to my yard as my neighbour was chopping a few dying and hanging trees branches and making mulch... All that noise must have disturbed them.. I guess it must be back next door. I see the small birds back into action in my yard.. Guessing it is a good sign.

Today hubbie killed a copperhead NEAR the compost pile. It was on a path very close to the house, but our Lab alerted husband to the snake. I have been fortunate to have lived out here almost 30 years and only had three encounters with poisonous snakes. Lots of black and king snakes, which we are glad to have. We are also glad to have had many good Labs over the years. They are cracker jack about spotting/smelling the snakes, and the one we have now has a special bark to let us know there is something wild around.

Dead snake is now part of the compost pile. We needed to put it up high to keep the dog away. Tomorrow we will move it some other place, if it is still there. In the country, you never know what critters will bring you OR take away.

Looks like they are many copperhead sightings this year!! or It just seems that we are mentioning them here!! . My husband's colleague was jogging ( training for a marathon) on a park trail, and what does he see? he was about to step on one them... he leaps in the air and goes over the snake and runs very fast away from it..

Someone just mentioned this to me... I am not sure if it correct but ...That the black long snakes we call rat snakes eat copperheads!!

I was so happy to see a black snake the other day when My husband and I were gardening. He was sunbathing near the tool shed.

I think it is true about King snakes, anyway, so maybe that is why I hardly ever see copperheads around here.