Hissss: N.C. is No. 1 state for copperhead bites
By Katie Oliver
koliver@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Saturday, Jul. 31, 2010
-
'If they can find mice and they can find
heat, they'll have a comfortable place,'
says Grover Barfield, education chairman
for the N.C. Herpetological Society. He
has suffered three venomous snakebites,
two from copperheads.
-
Mecklenburg County reported 28
copperhead bites in 2009, second only to
Wake's 49. This 22-inch snake was caught
in Cary on Wednesday. Often, copperheads
bite because they feel threatened. ETHAN
HYMAN - ehyman@newsobserver.com
More Information
-
Clear debris away from the
foundation of your house.
Trim shrubs to keep them from
getting overgrown.
Avoid stacking wood near the
house.
Keep grass cut.
Wear shoes when outdoors.
Do not try to catch or kill
snakes.
-
Do not panic.
Do not apply ice.
Do not make a tourniquet.
Do not cut the wound and suck out
the venom.
Sit as still as possible after
calling for medical attention.
-
Top states for copperhead bites in 2009:
1. North Carolina
2. Texas
3. Virginia
Source:
Carolinas Poison Center
Kevin Rose got bitten two years ago, walking to
water the tomato garden in the ivy-laden backyard of
his south Charlotte home. "Since I was barefoot, I
was walking on the ivy to keep my feet clean," Rose
said. "Then - bam! - it happened."
Rose said he thought it was a bee until he
realized he'd been struck by a copperhead.
North Carolina is No. 1 in the nation for
copperhead bites, with 228 documented last year.
Most came in urban counties, where subdivisions
brush against woods and creeks.
Mecklenburg County, with 28 reported copperhead
bites last year, trailed only Wake County, which saw
49, according to Carolinas Poison Center statistics.
Anna Dulaney, spokeswoman for the poison center,
said Mecklenburg has 13 reported copperhead bites so
far this year, Wake County has reported 25.
Symptoms of copperhead bites can vary from mild
swelling and bruising around the bite site to severe
swelling and discoloration that spreads rapidly,
causing tissue death.
Dulaney said sometimes bite victims can
experience drops in blood pressure or changes in the
way their blood clots, but she said such extreme
symptoms are rare.
Grover Barfield, education chair of the N.C.
Herpetological Society, has been bitten twice by
copperheads.
"I had caught a baby copperhead and I was
supposed to do a show-and-tell at my son's
second-grade class. It was Friday the 13th,"
Barfield said. He said he was holding the snake's
tail when he dropped its head. It recoiled and
struck him.
"It was like a bee sting except three to five
times more painful, and I could feel the venom
spread to each of the joints in my hand."
Barfield said he excused himself from the class
and drove to the hospital. He went back later to
advise the kids to "not do as I do but do as I say
and leave them alone because they can hurt you."
Not all copperhead bite victims experience
symptoms. Dulaney said sometimes the snakes will
"dry bite," or bite without injecting venom. She
said most of those bites don't get reported. Jeff
Hall, president of the N.C. Herpetological Society
said studies of copperhead bites show up to 40
percent of bites are dry.
"They're not out to get people," Hall said.
"It's energetically expensive for them to bite
something they can't eat - like a human," he said.
Hall said copperhead bites are often the results
of snakes taking defensive measures when people get
too close.
Tim Sullivan of Critter Control in Charlotte said
copperheads like to lie in leaves or grass in
partially sunny areas, making golf courses and parks
likely places to get bitten.
He said Critter Control has handled 10 or 12
copperheads, mostly in the south Charlotte area.
Sullivan said minimizing pine needles and natural
litter around your house, as well as using a
chemical repellent, will help ward off copperheads.
If you're face-to-face with a copperhead, Sullivan
recommended, leave the animal alone and call a
professional.
Both Hall and Sullivan said they have never been
bitten by a copperhead, despite having careers that
put them in contact with the reptiles.
Hall said copperheads are by far the most
prevalent venomous snake in Mecklenburg - the five
other types of pit viper in North Carolina are all
found either in the mountains or coastal plains.
Copperheads are the only venomous snake present
in all 100 counties in the state. They are capable
of living anywhere they can find shelter, water and
food.
Michael Dorcas, herpetologist and associate
professor at Davidson College, said that while
copperheads do present a threat when provoked, they
aren't typically aggressive and should just be
avoided or left alone.
"Sure, you've got to watch out for them, just
like you've got to watch out for hornets' nests and
holes in your yard," he said. "They're part of our
natural world."
 Subscribe
to The Charlotte Observer.
Read more:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/07/31/1592990/hissss-nc-is-no-1-state-for-copperhead.html#ixzz0vjgUfqjo
Hissss: N.C. is No. 1 state for copperhead bites
By Katie Oliver
koliver@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Saturday, Jul. 31, 2010
-
'If they can find mice and they can find
heat, they'll have a comfortable place,'
says Grover Barfield, education chairman
for the N.C. Herpetological Society. He
has suffered three venomous snakebites,
two from copperheads.
-
Mecklenburg County reported 28
copperhead bites in 2009, second only to
Wake's 49. This 22-inch snake was caught
in Cary on Wednesday. Often, copperheads
bite because they feel threatened. ETHAN
HYMAN - ehyman@newsobserver.com
More Information
-
Clear debris away from the
foundation of your house.
Trim shrubs to keep them from
getting overgrown.
Avoid stacking wood near the
house.
Keep grass cut.
Wear shoes when outdoors.
Do not try to catch or kill
snakes.
-
Do not panic.
Do not apply ice.
Do not make a tourniquet.
Do not cut the wound and suck out
the venom.
Sit as still as possible after
calling for medical attention.
-
Top states for copperhead bites in 2009:
1. North Carolina
2. Texas
3. Virginia
Source:
Carolinas Poison Center
Kevin Rose got bitten two years ago, walking to
water the tomato garden in the ivy-laden backyard of
his south Charlotte home. "Since I was barefoot, I
was walking on the ivy to keep my feet clean," Rose
said. "Then - bam! - it happened."
Rose said he thought it was a bee until he
realized he'd been struck by a copperhead.
North Carolina is No. 1 in the nation for
copperhead bites, with 228 documented last year.
Most came in urban counties, where subdivisions
brush against woods and creeks.
Mecklenburg County, with 28 reported copperhead
bites last year, trailed only Wake County, which saw
49, according to Carolinas Poison Center statistics.
Anna Dulaney, spokeswoman for the poison center,
said Mecklenburg has 13 reported copperhead bites so
far this year, Wake County has reported 25.
Symptoms of copperhead bites can vary from mild
swelling and bruising around the bite site to severe
swelling and discoloration that spreads rapidly,
causing tissue death.
Dulaney said sometimes bite victims can
experience drops in blood pressure or changes in the
way their blood clots, but she said such extreme
symptoms are rare.
Grover Barfield, education chair of the N.C.
Herpetological Society, has been bitten twice by
copperheads.
"I had caught a baby copperhead and I was
supposed to do a show-and-tell at my son's
second-grade class. It was Friday the 13th,"
Barfield said. He said he was holding the snake's
tail when he dropped its head. It recoiled and
struck him.
"It was like a bee sting except three to five
times more painful, and I could feel the venom
spread to each of the joints in my hand."
Barfield said he excused himself from the class
and drove to the hospital. He went back later to
advise the kids to "not do as I do but do as I say
and leave them alone because they can hurt you."
Not all copperhead bite victims experience
symptoms. Dulaney said sometimes the snakes will
"dry bite," or bite without injecting venom. She
said most of those bites don't get reported. Jeff
Hall, president of the N.C. Herpetological Society
said studies of copperhead bites show up to 40
percent of bites are dry.
"They're not out to get people," Hall said.
"It's energetically expensive for them to bite
something they can't eat - like a human," he said.
Hall said copperhead bites are often the results
of snakes taking defensive measures when people get
too close.
Tim Sullivan of Critter Control in Charlotte said
copperheads like to lie in leaves or grass in
partially sunny areas, making golf courses and parks
likely places to get bitten.
He said Critter Control has handled 10 or 12
copperheads, mostly in the south Charlotte area.
Sullivan said minimizing pine needles and natural
litter around your house, as well as using a
chemical repellent, will help ward off copperheads.
If you're face-to-face with a copperhead, Sullivan
recommended, leave the animal alone and call a
professional.
Both Hall and Sullivan said they have never been
bitten by a copperhead, despite having careers that
put them in contact with the reptiles.
Hall said copperheads are by far the most
prevalent venomous snake in Mecklenburg - the five
other types of pit viper in North Carolina are all
found either in the mountains or coastal plains.
Copperheads are the only venomous snake present
in all 100 counties in the state. They are capable
of living anywhere they can find shelter, water and
food.
Michael Dorcas, herpetologist and associate
professor at Davidson College, said that while
copperheads do present a threat when provoked, they
aren't typically aggressive and should just be
avoided or left alone.
"Sure, you've got to watch out for them, just
like you've got to watch out for hornets' nests and
holes in your yard," he said. "They're part of our
natural world."
Subscribe
to The Charlotte Observer.
Read more:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/07/31/1592990/hissss-nc-is-no-1-state-for-copperhead.html#ixzz0vjgUfqjo
Hissss: N.C. is No. 1 state for copperhead bites
By Katie Oliver
koliver@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Saturday, Jul. 31, 2010
-
'If they can find mice and they can find
heat, they'll have a comfortable place,'
says Grover Barfield, education chairman
for the N.C. Herpetological Society. He
has suffered three venomous snakebites,
two from copperheads.
-
Mecklenburg County reported 28
copperhead bites in 2009, second only to
Wake's 49. This 22-inch snake was caught
in Cary on Wednesday. Often, copperheads
bite because they feel threatened. ETHAN
HYMAN - ehyman@newsobserver.com
More Information
-
Clear debris away from the
foundation of your house.
Trim shrubs to keep them from
getting overgrown.
Avoid stacking wood near the
house.
Keep grass cut.
Wear shoes when outdoors.
Do not try to catch or kill
snakes.
-
Do not panic.
Do not apply ice.
Do not make a tourniquet.
Do not cut the wound and suck out
the venom.
Sit as still as possible after
calling for medical attention.
-
Top states for copperhead bites in 2009:
1. North Carolina
2. Texas
3. Virginia
Source:
Carolinas Poison Center
Kevin Rose got bitten two years ago, walking to
water the tomato garden in the ivy-laden backyard of
his south Charlotte home. "Since I was barefoot, I
was walking on the ivy to keep my feet clean," Rose
said. "Then - bam! - it happened."
Rose said he thought it was a bee until he
realized he'd been struck by a copperhead.
North Carolina is No. 1 in the nation for
copperhead bites, with 228 documented last year.
Most came in urban counties, where subdivisions
brush against woods and creeks.
Mecklenburg County, with 28 reported copperhead
bites last year, trailed only Wake County, which saw
49, according to Carolinas Poison Center statistics.
Anna Dulaney, spokeswoman for the poison center,
said Mecklenburg has 13 reported copperhead bites so
far this year, Wake County has reported 25.
Symptoms of copperhead bites can vary from mild
swelling and bruising around the bite site to severe
swelling and discoloration that spreads rapidly,
causing tissue death.
Dulaney said sometimes bite victims can
experience drops in blood pressure or changes in the
way their blood clots, but she said such extreme
symptoms are rare.
Grover Barfield, education chair of the N.C.
Herpetological Society, has been bitten twice by
copperheads.
"I had caught a baby copperhead and I was
supposed to do a show-and-tell at my son's
second-grade class. It was Friday the 13th,"
Barfield said. He said he was holding the snake's
tail when he dropped its head. It recoiled and
struck him.
"It was like a bee sting except three to five
times more painful, and I could feel the venom
spread to each of the joints in my hand."
Barfield said he excused himself from the class
and drove to the hospital. He went back later to
advise the kids to "not do as I do but do as I say
and leave them alone because they can hurt you."
Not all copperhead bite victims experience
symptoms. Dulaney said sometimes the snakes will
"dry bite," or bite without injecting venom. She
said most of those bites don't get reported. Jeff
Hall, president of the N.C. Herpetological Society
said studies of copperhead bites show up to 40
percent of bites are dry.
"They're not out to get people," Hall said.
"It's energetically expensive for them to bite
something they can't eat - like a human," he said.
Hall said copperhead bites are often the results
of snakes taking defensive measures when people get
too close.
Tim Sullivan of Critter Control in Charlotte said
copperheads like to lie in leaves or grass in
partially sunny areas, making golf courses and parks
likely places to get bitten.
He said Critter Control has handled 10 or 12
copperheads, mostly in the south Charlotte area.
Sullivan said minimizing pine needles and natural
litter around your house, as well as using a
chemical repellent, will help ward off copperheads.
If you're face-to-face with a copperhead, Sullivan
recommended, leave the animal alone and call a
professional.
Both Hall and Sullivan said they have never been
bitten by a copperhead, despite having careers that
put them in contact with the reptiles.
Hall said copperheads are by far the most
prevalent venomous snake in Mecklenburg - the five
other types of pit viper in North Carolina are all
found either in the mountains or coastal plains.
Copperheads are the only venomous snake present
in all 100 counties in the state. They are capable
of living anywhere they can find shelter, water and
food.
Michael Dorcas, herpetologist and associate
professor at Davidson College, said that while
copperheads do present a threat when provoked, they
aren't typically aggressive and should just be
avoided or left alone.
"Sure, you've got to watch out for them, just
like you've got to watch out for hornets' nests and
holes in your yard," he said. "They're part of our
natural world."
Subscribe
to The Charlotte Observer.
Read more:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/07/31/1592990/hissss-nc-is-no-1-state-for-copperhead.html#ixzz0vjgUfqjo
Hissss: N.C. is No. 1 state for copperhead bites
By Katie Oliver
koliver@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Saturday, Jul. 31, 2010
-
'If they can find mice and they can find
heat, they'll have a comfortable place,'
says Grover Barfield, education chairman
for the N.C. Herpetological Society. He
has suffered three venomous snakebites,
two from copperheads.
-
Mecklenburg County reported 28
copperhead bites in 2009, second only to
Wake's 49. This 22-inch snake was caught
in Cary on Wednesday. Often, copperheads
bite because they feel threatened. ETHAN
HYMAN - ehyman@newsobserver.com
More Information
-
Clear debris away from the
foundation of your house.
Trim shrubs to keep them from
getting overgrown.
Avoid stacking wood near the
house.
Keep grass cut.
Wear shoes when outdoors.
Do not try to catch or kill
snakes.
-
Do not panic.
Do not apply ice.
Do not make a tourniquet.
Do not cut the wound and suck out
the venom.
Sit as still as possible after
calling for medical attention.
-
Top states for copperhead bites in 2009:
1. North Carolina
2. Texas
3. Virginia
Source:
Carolinas Poison Center
Kevin Rose got bitten two years ago, walking to
water the tomato garden in the ivy-laden backyard of
his south Charlotte home. "Since I was barefoot, I
was walking on the ivy to keep my feet clean," Rose
said. "Then - bam! - it happened."
Rose said he thought it was a bee until he
realized he'd been struck by a copperhead.
North Carolina is No. 1 in the nation for
copperhead bites, with 228 documented last year.
Most came in urban counties, where subdivisions
brush against woods and creeks.
Mecklenburg County, with 28 reported copperhead
bites last year, trailed only Wake County, which saw
49, according to Carolinas Poison Center statistics.
Anna Dulaney, spokeswoman for the poison center,
said Mecklenburg has 13 reported copperhead bites so
far this year, Wake County has reported 25.
Symptoms of copperhead bites can vary from mild
swelling and bruising around the bite site to severe
swelling and discoloration that spreads rapidly,
causing tissue death.
Dulaney said sometimes bite victims can
experience drops in blood pressure or changes in the
way their blood clots, but she said such extreme
symptoms are rare.
Grover Barfield, education chair of the N.C.
Herpetological Society, has been bitten twice by
copperheads.
"I had caught a baby copperhead and I was
supposed to do a show-and-tell at my son's
second-grade class. It was Friday the 13th,"
Barfield said. He said he was holding the snake's
tail when he dropped its head. It recoiled and
struck him.
"It was like a bee sting except three to five
times more painful, and I could feel the venom
spread to each of the joints in my hand."
Barfield said he excused himself from the class
and drove to the hospital. He went back later to
advise the kids to "not do as I do but do as I say
and leave them alone because they can hurt you."
Not all copperhead bite victims experience
symptoms. Dulaney said sometimes the snakes will
"dry bite," or bite without injecting venom. She
said most of those bites don't get reported. Jeff
Hall, president of the N.C. Herpetological Society
said studies of copperhead bites show up to 40
percent of bites are dry.
"They're not out to get people," Hall said.
"It's energetically expensive for them to bite
something they can't eat - like a human," he said.
Hall said copperhead bites are often the results
of snakes taking defensive measures when people get
too close.
Tim Sullivan of Critter Control in Charlotte said
copperheads like to lie in leaves or grass in
partially sunny areas, making golf courses and parks
likely places to get bitten.
He said Critter Control has handled 10 or 12
copperheads, mostly in the south Charlotte area.
Sullivan said minimizing pine needles and natural
litter around your house, as well as using a
chemical repellent, will help ward off copperheads.
If you're face-to-face with a copperhead, Sullivan
recommended, leave the animal alone and call a
professional.
Both Hall and Sullivan said they have never been
bitten by a copperhead, despite having careers that
put them in contact with the reptiles.
Hall said copperheads are by far the most
prevalent venomous snake in Mecklenburg - the five
other types of pit viper in North Carolina are all
found either in the mountains or coastal plains.
Copperheads are the only venomous snake present
in all 100 counties in the state. They are capable
of living anywhere they can find shelter, water and
food.
Michael Dorcas, herpetologist and associate
professor at Davidson College, said that while
copperheads do present a threat when provoked, they
aren't typically aggressive and should just be
avoided or left alone.
"Sure, you've got to watch out for them, just
like you've got to watch out for hornets' nests and
holes in your yard," he said. "They're part of our
natural world."
Subscribe
to The Charlotte Observer.
Read more:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/07/31/1592990/hissss-nc-is-no-1-state-for-copperhead.html#ixzz0vjgUfqjo
 |
Hissss: N.C. is No. 1 state for
copperhead bites
By Katie Oliver
koliver@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Saturday, Jul. 31, 2010
|
'If they can find mice and they can find heat, they'll have a
comfortable place,' says Grover Barfield, education chairman for
the N.C. Herpetological Society. He has suffered three venomous
snakebites, two from copperheads. Kevin Rose got bitten
two years ago, walking to water the tomato garden in the
ivy-laden backyard of his south Charlotte home. "Since I
was barefoot, I was walking on the ivy to keep my feet clean,"
Rose said. "Then - bam! - it happened."
Rose said he thought it was a bee until he realized he'd been
struck by a copperhead. North Carolina is No. 1 in the
nation for copperhead bites, with 228 documented last year. Most
came in urban counties, where subdivisions brush against woods
and creeks.
Mecklenburg County, with 28 reported copperhead bites last year,
trailed only Wake County, which saw 49, according to Carolinas
Poison Center statistics.
Anna Dulaney, spokeswoman for the poison center, said
Mecklenburg has 13 reported copperhead bites so far this year,
Wake County has reported 25.
Symptoms of copperhead bites can vary from mild swelling and
bruising around the bite site to severe swelling and
discoloration that spreads rapidly, causing tissue death.
Dulaney said sometimes bite victims can experience drops in
blood pressure or changes in the way their blood clots, but she
said such extreme symptoms are rare. Grover Barfield,
education chair of the N.C. Herpetological Society, has been
bitten twice by copperheads.
"I had caught a baby copperhead and I was supposed to do a
show-and-tell at my son's second-grade class. It was Friday the
13th," Barfield said. He said he was holding the snake's tail
when he dropped its head. It recoiled and struck him. "It
was like a bee sting except three to five times more painful,
and I could feel the venom spread to each of the joints in my
hand." Barfield said he excused himself from the class and
drove to the hospital. He went back later to advise the kids to
"not do as I do but do as I say and leave them alone because
they can hurt you."
Not all copperhead bite victims experience symptoms. Dulaney
said sometimes the snakes will "dry bite," or bite without
injecting venom. She said most of those bites don't get
reported. Jeff Hall, president of the N.C. Herpetological
Society said studies of copperhead bites show up to 40 percent
of bites are dry. "They're not out to get people," Hall
said. "It's energetically expensive for them to bite
something they can't eat - like a human," he said. Hall
said copperhead bites are often the results of snakes taking
defensive measures when people get too close.
Tim Sullivan of Critter Control in Charlotte said copperheads
like to lie in leaves or grass in partially sunny areas, making
golf courses and parks likely places to get bitten. He
said Critter Control has handled 10 or 12 copperheads, mostly in
the south Charlotte area. Sullivan said minimizing pine
needles and natural litter around your house, as well as using a
chemical repellent, will help ward off copperheads. If you're
face-to-face with a copperhead, Sullivan recommended, leave the
animal alone and call a professional. Both Hall and
Sullivan said they have never been bitten by a copperhead,
despite having careers that put them in contact with the
reptiles. Hall said copperheads are by far the most
prevalent venomous snake in Mecklenburg - the five other types
of pit viper in North Carolina are all found either in the
mountains or coastal plains. Copperheads are the only
venomous snake present in all 100 counties in the state. They
are capable of living anywhere they can find shelter, water and
food.
Michael Dorcas, herpetologist and associate professor at
Davidson College, said that while copperheads do present a
threat when provoked, they aren't typically aggressive and
should just be avoided or left alone. "Sure, you've got to
watch out for them, just like you've got to watch out for
hornets' nests and holes in your yard," he said. "They're part
of our natural world."
Read more:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/07/31/1592990/hissss-nc-is-no-1-state-for-copperhead.html#ixzz0vjgUfqjo
Tips for avoiding
snakebites
Clear debris away from the foundation of your house.
Trim shrubs to keep them from getting overgrown.
Avoid stacking wood near the house.
Keep grass cut.
Wear shoes when outdoors.
Do not try to catch or kill snakes.
|
If you are bitten
Do not panic.
Do not apply ice.
Do not make a tourniquet.
Do not cut the wound and suck out the venom.
Sit as still as possible after calling for
medical attention.
|
Where are they?
Top states for copperhead bites in 2009:
1. North Carolina
2. Texas
3. Virginia
Source: Carolinas Poison Center
|
|
At
approximately 8:40 PM on October 12, a man, woman
and their 15 year old son were killed while trying
to erect a 50 foot vertical antenna at the home of
the man's mother, Barbara Tenn, KJ4KFF, in Palm Bay,
Florida. The deceased were not licensed amateurs.
According to police reports, Melville Braham, 55,
Anna Braham, 49, and their 15 year old son Anthony
were putting up an antenna -- Tenn's second -- at
night when they lost control of the antenna and it
crashed into nearby overhead power lines. The impact
sent 13,000 volts of electricity through the pole
that the three were holding. A family friend, a 17
year old boy, was on the roof at the time of the
accident. He and the couple's daughter, who was in
the house at the time, were not injured. Click