Today, July 16, is World Snake Day, and you might be wondering which snakes you could encounter around Fayetteville in the wild.
The notoriously misunderstood creatures help control the insect and rodent populations, ensuring a balanced ecosystem, according to the George Institute for Global Health. The annual holiday aims to change the negative perception of snakes and promote the preservation of the snake population.
Here are 10 snakes you might find in Cumberland County, according to the Carolina Herp Atlas.
Copperhead
The copperhead, or Agkistrodon contortrix, is a large and venomous snake found in terrestrial and semi-aquatic habitats in the eastern United States, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo. The average length of a copperhead is from 2-3 feet, and they can live up to around 18 years. Copperheads eat mostly mice and are also known to eat birds, lizards, small snakes, amphibians and insects. The snake can be distinguished by its unmarked head and "hourglass-shaped crossbands along its body."
They are primarily nocturnal and can often be found hibernating or sleeping in communal dens with other copperheads near rock crevices and outcroppings.
Eastern hognose
The eastern hognose snake, or Heterodon platirhinos, is a nonvenomous snake that lives in the eastern and southern parts of the United States, according to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory at the University of Georgia. The eastern hognose snake is only active at night and preys on frogs, toads, salamanders, small mammals, birds, and invertebrates. The snake can reach up to 46 inches long and is distinguished by its upturned snout and "rectangular spots down the middle of the back that may resemble eyespots."
Eastern hognose snakes can be found in woodland and coastal areas with sandy soil.
Racer
The racer, or Coluber constrictor, is a nonvenomous snake species found throughout North America, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. Adult racers can grow between 20 and 56 inches in length and are "black or bluish/black with white or whitish markings on the chin and throat." Racers are quick, typically using speed and agility to avoid capture. They feed on small mammals, birds and their eggs, lizards, turtles, snakes, frogs, salamanders, fishes, insects and spiders.
Racers can be found in suburban areas where developments encroach into habitats like pine flatwoods, prairies and limestone outcroppings.
Timber rattlesnake
The timber rattlesnake, or Cortalus horridus, is a large venomous snake residing in the eastern United States, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo. They primarily eat small to medium-sized rodents, like mice, squirrels and shrews. Adult timber rattlesnakes can grow up to seven feet long and are gray with an orange, yellow or pinkish stripe down their back.
The timber rattlesnake is an amazing climber, enjoying high altitudes such as higher lands of river flood plains and farmlands and can be found more than 80 feet off the ground in trees.
Rat snake
The rat snake, or Elaphe obsoleta, is a long, black snake found in North America, according to the National Wildlife Federation. The rat snake is considered venomous but is not dangerous to humans because the amount is so small. They are excellent swimmers and climbers and can be up to 7 feet in length. Rat snakes feed on bird eggs, frogs, rodents, amphibians, and young birds. They will emit a foul-smelling odor, said to smell like poison tastes, if a predator approaches.
Rat snakes are often found in fields, woodlands and farmlands around suburban communities.
Red-bellied watersnake
Red-bellied watersnakes, or Nerodia erythrogaster, are non-venomous, semiaquatic snakes found in the Coastal Plain of the Southeast, according to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory at the University of Georgia. The watersnakes can be up to 4 feet in length and are "generally dark brown, light brown, or grey with a bright orange to yellowish, unpatterned underside." The red-bellied watersnake primarily feeds on amphibians but also has a taste for fish.
They can be found near lakes, creeks or wetlands basking near water.
Banded watersnake
Banded watersnakes, or Nerodia fasciata, are nonvenomous, semiaquatic snakes found from southwest Alabama to North Carolina, according to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory at the University of Georgia. They are similar in length to the red-bellied watersnake but are a range of colors with darker-colored crossbands on their back.
Banded watersnakes can be found "basking on logs or branches overhanging the water or foraging in shallow water for fish and amphibians."
Pine woods snake
The pine woods snake, or Rhadinaea flavilata, is a short snake living in the southeastern part of the United States, according to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory at the University of Georgia. It is considered venomous but is not a threat to humans because its venom is mild. It grows up to 13 inches in length and can be distinguished by its brown coloration with a yellow stripe that passes through the eye and upper lip scales.
The pine woods snake is often found "hiding beneath logs, leaf litter, or other debris," and eating "small frogs, salamanders, snakes, and small lizards."
Mud snake
The mud snake, or Farancia abacura, is a nonvenomous, aquatic snake living in the southern United States, according to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory at the University of Georgia. They are up to 81 inches in length and have a glossy black back with a pink or red underbelly. Mud snakes primarily feed on salamanders, but young mud snakes also feed on salamander larvae and tadpoles.
Mud snakes spend most of their time underwater, in vegetation and debris.
Mole kingsnake
The mole kingsnake, or Lampropeltis rhombomaculata, is a nonvenomous, constricting snake living in the Coastal Plain of the United States, according to Amphibians and Reptiles of North Carolina. The mole kingsnake is "brown or gray with small reddish or dark brown blotches on its back," with a head not very distinct from its neck.
They feed on lizards, rodents and other snakes, and spend much of their time underground.
Public safety reporter Joseph Pierre can be reached at jpierre@gannett.com.
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