Have you seen one of these?

Hi again!  The postings have been sparse the last couple of weeks due to preparations for the Belmont County Fair.  I thought I would share a couple of interesting pics of a reptile that is native to eastern Ohio but has become rare due to habitat destruction and fear.  Special thanks to Glen Crippen for providing the photos.

The northern copperhead strikes fear in many persons for being
the only poisonous snake found in eastern Ohio.  They are
rarely encountered due to their secretive nature and habitat preference.
Many persons think they see copperheads which end up being
either milksnakes or watersnakes upon further inspection.  The most
telling characteristic of the copperhead is its well-defined triangular-
shaped head and its pupils which are slits as opposed to circles.

As mentioned above copperheads are often confused with
northern watersnakes and milksnakes which have somewhat
similar patterns on their backs.  When compared side by side
the copperhead is clearly distinct due to its dullish color and
width of dorsal bands.  Also the copperhead's body is very
stout and triangular as opposed to the cylinder shaped bodies
of non-venomous snakes.  More later....