Keep an eye out: It’s copperhead season in Virginia

As the weather warms up, venomous copperhead snakes are out and about.

There are 30 native species of snakes in Virginia, but only three are poisonous, according to the Wildlife Center of Virginia: Northern Copperheads, Timber Rattlesnakes, and Cottonmouths.

Here are some ways to identify a venomous snake in the Commonwealth, officials said:

• Vertical pupils,

• A heat-sensing “pit” near their eye, which is larger than their nostril,

• A single row of scales under their tail.

The center said non-venomous snakes have round pupils, no pit, and two rows of scales under their tails.

“Identifying some of these traits from a safe distance can be challenging; being familiar with the overall appearance of these species will help you to identify a venomous snake more reliably and safely,” the center said.

Some other characteristics that are widely known to look out for, like head shape, patterns, and tail rattling, can sometimes be misleading, according to officials.

Despite the danger of poisonous snakes, the Wildlife Center of Virginia says copperheads are not aggressive to humans if you leave them alone.

If it gets too hot, snakes will look for cooler places like piles of leaves or inside your house.

“The species of snakes, that venomous species that we have in Virginia, all three of them rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths. Deaths from bites from those snakes are incredibly rare. Now they can be painful, and they can cause some damage,” Alex Wehrung with the Wildlife Center of Virginia said.

The center says if you are bitten by a copperhead, you should get medical attention quickly.

Wondering what you should do if you see a snake? Watch the Wildlife Center’s YouTube video below to learn more.

You can read more about snakes in Virginia and see pictures of each species here.