Sharp Increase in Snake Bites in Charlotte Area

CHARLOTTE, NC – Doctors are seeing a sharp rise in snake bites in the Charlotte area.

Carolinas Poison Center tells WCCB Charlotte it had 71 calls about snake bites in April 2017 compared to only 19 in April 2016.

Snake expert Grover Barfield with Carolinas Reptile Rescue says the biggest reason is because we had a mild winter.

“Snakes that are in poor health or don’t get down deep enough can succumb to the cold and die,” Barfield says.

The most common poisonous snake you’ll see in the Charlotte area is the copperhead.

“Keep your eyes out. The copperhead head camouflage is a hourglass, two-tone brown, will blend in with these dead leaves. If there’s a lot of dead leaves, you’re not going to see it,” Barfield says.

MEDIC treated a man for a copperhead bite at Latta Plantation Nature Preserve in Huntersville on Tuesday.

But not all snakes you see are a danger.

Barfield says in general snakes want to avoid you.

“Snakes are more afraid of you than you are of them,” he explains.