One of my neighbors told me Friday that he’d seen two copperheads in his driveway, and that two of his neighbors also reported seeing them.
I think of late September as the time when they start moving around looking for winter quarters. But if they’re moving … they’re moving.
Be a little cautious, especially at night.
For those of you who may be new to the area, we still have rattlesnakes, although they are becoming rare. Copperheads are probably pretty common, but are rarely seen, and are usually nocturnal. In thirty years, I’ve had to deal with three copperheads. Two were in our old crosstie wall, which is basically a snake hotel. They come big and little. I’ve had two about a yard long and one about a foot long. The key to identification is the pattern, of course, but also and very important, the triangular head. If the head goes straight back into the body, it isn’t a venomous snake.
We Georgia Master Naturalists are trained not to say “poisonous.” They aren’t poisonous. You can eat them. But they are venomous. Keep yourself and your dog away from them.