Common Misconceptions

Often in my little travels around the peninsula, I come across people and their stories of snake encounters.  One that I hear a lot about are sightings of Copperheads in Florida.  Although Florida does have Copperheads, they are restricted to parts of the panhandle.  According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, they have only been documented in six Florida Counties (Jackson, Liberty, Gadsden, Calhoun, Gulf, and Escambia).

Why then all the confusion? Why do people swear to me, they have seen this specie on the peninsula?

Here's what I believe!!

I think people are actually spotting juvenile Cottonmouths, which to the untrained eye looks similar to the Copperhead.

Here’s how you can tell the two apart!!

Cottonmouth

 Notice the broad dark eye stripe

 Copperhead 

Please take the time to study both of them!!

Learn your native herps!