Characteristics:
    The copperhead is a fairly large venomous snake, with a maximum length of over 4ft. They have a thick body with a tan coloration. The pattern running down the back is comprised of "hourglass" shaped, dark brown, bands. The head of the copperhead is, as you might expect, coppery in color. Juveniles have a bright yellow tip on their tails, but it fades with age. Being a pit viper, they have a heat sensing pit between the eye and nostril. They also have eliptical pupils.

*Note: There are several subspecies in IL and MO; A. c. contortrix, A. c. mokasen, and in MO there is A. c. phaeogaster, the Osage Copperhead.


Habitat: Most often seen around rocky wooded hillsides and river bluffs. Abandoned farm buildings and fields also make great habitat for the copperhead.


Behavior:
    The copperhead is a rather secretive snake. In the spring they are active by day, but as the days get warmer and warmer they become noctournal. During mating season the males become aggressive and will try to overpower one another in a struggle for females. They mate in late spring and give birth to live young in late summer. These young copperheads have a yellow tip on their tail that they use as a lure to attract prey. They eat a variety of things including birds, amphibians, lizards, and insects, but they mostly feed on rodents.
    The copperhead is the most commonly encountered venomous snake in IL and MO and is responsible for most of the venomous snake bites. While the venoms is highly toxic, it rarely results in death. Even in areas where the copperhead does not occur, people mistake non-venmous snakes for copperheads and kill them.


Personal Remarks:
    This is one beautiful snake. You really have to see one in person to be able to fully appreciate it. A full grown adult female copperhead is quite an amazing sight. We usually encounter this snake while road cruising. At one loaction that we frequent, there is quite a large population of them and it is not uncommon to see them crossing the road on warm summer nights after some rain.
    This is, by far, our most commonly encountered venomous snake, and usually one of the easiest to photograph. When approached on the road they will often coil up and sit still, making for some great pictures and videos. This is a venomous snake though, and you have to always keep that in mind when working around them.