Snakes are commonly misunderstood

Years ago, as a bulldozer leveled a small piece of ground destined to become a basketball court, I watched with anticipation. I was confident the disturbance would unearth at least one snake. Shortly after the dozer operator stopped for a break, I noticed some movement amid a bunch of loose rocks.
The snake was dark rusty brown, mottled, and about 30 inches long. The dozer operator warned me to stay clear. It was a copperhead, he said. I stepped closer. No, it's milk snake, I countered.
Back and forth we debated until I had no choice. I stepped even closer and made sure the head was not triangular and the pupils not vertical. Then I picked it up. For a few moments it struggled, but it quickly calmed down. The neck was not constricted behind the head to form a triangular head. In hand, the pupils were clearly round. And there were no pits between the yes and nostrils. Definitely not a copperhead. They, like other pit vipers (the group that includes rattlesnakes) have triangular heads, vertical pupils, and prominent heat sensing pits between the eyes and nostrils. This was a beneficial, non-venomous milk snake.
Differences
At a glance, milk snakes and copperheads superficially resemble each other. The basic color of each is rusty brown, but the copperhead has a much richer copper tone. The milk snake is a drabber brown. Furthermore, both species have dark bands that cross over the back and reach down the sides. The milk snake's "saddles" are bordered in black and are widest across the back. Often they become narrower as they reach down the sides. The copperhead's saddles, on the other hand, are most narrow on the back and wider on the sides. They have an hourglass shape.
A third unmistakable difference between milk snakes and copperheads can be found on their bellies. The copperhead's is unmarked and cream colored. A milk snake's white belly is marked with black squares that create a checkerboard effect.
I admit these characteristics cannot be seen from a distance. But if you're close enough to hack a snake with a hoe or shovel, you're close enough to detect head shape. I understand people's desire to rid their backyards of poisonous copperheads, but I'm certain many of the "copperheads" killed each year are milk snakes or even juvenile black rat snakes, which sometimes display a mottled pattern on their backs.
I recall a local television station once aired a report of a huge "copperhead" found nearby. The footage clearly showed a five-foot long adult black rat snake. Those few seconds of videotape reinforced the misinformation that abounds about copperheads.
Advice
Though the subject of snakes is distasteful to many, here are a few points to ponder.
Most snakes, even poisonous ones, are beneficial. They eat insects, mice, rats, and other small rodents.
Snakes are shy and retiring. Their instinct is to slither away when disturbed, not attack. The best way to get bitten is to disturb a snake that has no escape route. To avoid accidental encounters with snakes, watch where you place your hands and feet when roaming the woods and fields. Be especially careful in rocky areas.
Just a few weeks ago a report in the Charleston Gazette in West Virginia reported the distress a single careless moment can produce. A turkey hunter reached across a fallen log and was bitten by a large rattler startled by his intrusion. Fortunately the hunter got to a hospital and recovered, but I'll bet he'll be more careful where he puts his hands in the future.
Though copperheads are more common and widespread than rattlesnakes, their bite is much less dangerous. That's because copperheads are smaller, they deliver less venom and their venom is weaker than rattlesnake venom. I know of no human deaths caused by copperhead bites.
Finally, treat any poisonous snake bite (which can be identified by one, or usually two, puncture wounds) seriously. Keep the victim calm and quiet, and get him to the nearest hospital as soon as possible.
Send questions and comments to Dr. Scott Shalaway, R.D. 5, Cameron, W.Va. 26033 or via e-mail to sshalaway@aol.com