As the summer months wear on and heat increases, so does the likelihood of encountering one of nature's most common - and misunderstood - creatures. 

Alamance County is home to many different species of snakes, and the vast majority of them are nonvenomous, and will never encounter a human.  When they do, however, the results can be dangerous for both the snake and the person.

 
Juvenile Copperhead
aka Agkistrodon Contortrix
Photo Courtey of John Willson

Over the next few pages, we're going to take an opportunity to introduce you to these animals - venomous and nonvenomous - and to educate you on what to do if and when you do encounter them and what to do if you're bitten.

We are indebted to the Biology Department of Davidson College, Yahoo! Health, and the Alamance County NC Cooperative Extension Service for their invaluable assistance in collecting this information.  Photos on the following pages have been provided by public domain sources, including the State of North Carolina's Museum of Natural Resources and the Federal Wildlife Agency, and through the courtesy of John Willson of the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.

As always, you can bring in snakes, insects, and pests to the Cooperative Extension Office, 209 N. Graham Hopedale Rd form 8 - 5 Monday thru Friday for identification and control recommendations.