Could NC’s drought change where you see copperheads this summer?

North Carolina’s ongoing drought has raised questions about how copperhead activity might shift this year. Experts say the answer isn’t simple — but warmer weather still means it’s time to be cautious.

FULL STORY: Could the drought change where you see copperheads this year? What we learned

Here are key takeaways:

• Copperheads are the venomous snake you’re most likely to encounter in North Carolina. They’re found statewide and have distinctive hourglass-shaped markings.
• Falyn Owens, wildlife extension biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, said drought impacts are mixed: Snakes may travel farther to find water, but they can also hunker down and wait for better conditions.
• Talena Chavis, owner of NC Snake Catcher, said “copperheads and water do not really go together” — snakes spotted near water are often Northern water snakes, which have a similar but inverted pattern. By late March, her business had already received two copperhead calls, the earliest ever in a season.
• All of North Carolina is in a drought, with parts of the Triangle and Charlotte area facing “extreme” and “exceptional” drought, according to the US Drought Monitor on Wednesday, June 24.
• Copperheads become more active when temperatures rise above 60 degrees. Wear gloves for yard work, look before reaching into brush piles and leave the area if you spot one.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.

This story was originally published June 24, 2026 at 10:39 AM with the headline "Could NC’s drought change where you see copperheads this summer?."