{"id":3006,"date":"2026-06-22T14:35:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T14:35:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=3006"},"modified":"2026-06-22T14:35:43","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T14:35:43","slug":"heres-where-and-when-youre-most-likely-to-encounter-a-copperhead-in-nc-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=3006","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s where and when you\u2019re most likely to encounter a copperhead in NC"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

North Carolina is crawling, or perhaps slithering, with copperheads. But where are they?<\/p>\n

Read more Attorney, in exclusive interview, says ex-NC State trainer denies sexual abuse<\/a><\/p>\n

Copperheads cause 90% of venomous snakebites in North Carolina. While bites are almost never fatal, they can be painful and expensive<\/a> to treat.<\/p>\n

In the larger, urban areas of North Carolina, they are typically the only venomous snake found out of six in the state<\/a>. They made international headlines this June when German World Cup players said they came across one near their base camp in Winston-Salem.<\/a><\/p>\n

Copperheads are found all over the state, but they\u2019re most frequently in woodlands<\/b>. The snakes prefer spots that offer both cover and sun, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.<\/a><\/p>\n

Favorite spots include:<\/p>\n

Wooded areas provide more prey, but copperheads can be seen in suburban and urban areas too. North Carolina Wildlife Biologist Falyn Owens previously told The Charlotte Observer<\/a> not to rule out copperheads in more heavily populated areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey do pretty well in mature suburban areas, especially if there\u2019s a lot of very mature landscaping,\u201d said Owens. \u201cEven in an urban area, there could be a parking lot that has bushes and trees and tall grass that hasn\u2019t been mowed, so that could be good habitat for a copperhead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like all snakes, copperheads are cold blooded. They are more active as the weather warms, usually March through October<\/b>.<\/p>\n

The copperhead is also largely nocturnal in hot weather, though it can be seen during the day. The snakes are often encountered on roads at night; many are killed by cars.<\/p>\n

Read more Here\u2019s where and when you\u2019re most likely to encounter a copperhead in NC<\/a><\/p>\n

Copperheads are well camouflaged, and operate as sit-and-wait predators. People may not see them until they are within striking distance, so it is important to be vigilant in spaces copperheads like.<\/p>\n

Tall bushes and hiding spots may draw copperheads, as can food sources.<\/p>\n

\u201cThings like pet food or bird seed can attract rodents, and then the copperheads are going to come and take advantage,\u201d Owens said.<\/p>\n

The snakes have contrasting brown crossbands shaped like an hourglass or dumbbell,<\/b> according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.<\/a> The shapes are narrow in the center of the back and wider along the sides. While individual patterns may vary, the commission says nearly all individual copperheads have at least some complete hourglass-shaped crossbands.<\/p>\n

The snakes are also fairly wide and heavy. The average adult is between 2 and 3 feet. Their heads are triangular, with a dark line from the eye to the rear of the jaw.<\/p>\n

Portions of this story were previously published<\/a> in the Charlotte Observer.<\/i><\/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 June 22, 2026 at 9:13 AM<\/span> with the headline “Here\u2019s where and when you\u2019re most likely to encounter a copperhead in NC.” <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Thousands celebrate Carolina Hurricanes\u2019 Stanley Cup win in downtown Raleigh. See photos<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Discover where copperheads hide in North Carolina\u2014from rock slopes to yard debris\u2014and tips to reduce encounters in suburban and urban areas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3006","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nHere\u2019s where and when you\u2019re most likely to encounter a copperhead in NC - Durham Moving Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=3006\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Here\u2019s where and when you\u2019re most likely to encounter a copperhead in NC - 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