The North Carolina Poison Control said the number of venomous snakebites are higher than they were in 2020, which was a record year.
As of early June, nearly 270 venomous snakebites have been reported; at about the same time in 2020, there had been about 10 fewer.
Wildlife biologist Falyn Owens says the copperhead is the state's most abundant venomous snake.
“They like areas with rodents and thick brush, like tall grass or ivy,” she said, “Copperheads have a distinctive pattern that, once you know what to look for, you can't really mistake it for anything else. And I like to think of it as a line of chocolate Hershey kisses sitting in a row. So, if you look at it from the side, it has a darker pattern of upright triangles, so those are the Hershey kisses, on a paler background."
NC Wildlife officials estimate that copperheads account for around 90% of venomous snakebites in North Carolina.
North Carolina is one of the top states for copperhead bites. Some hospital emergency departments say they expect to see a spike in snake bites next month.
But, Owens says biting is a form of self-defense, and the best course of action when a snake is around is to leave it alone.
