North Carolina

How to avoid problems with snakes, alligators, mosquitoes and heat in NC

Stories by News & Observer journalists, with AI summarization

This collection of stories explores practical ways to reduce wildlife risks from snakes, mosquitoes, and alligators during North Carolina's summer.

Tips include cleaning up yard debris to discourage copperheads and knowing how to keep dogs leashed on outdoor paths. Articles also describe coping with a surge in mosquitoes after rainfall and direct residents to recognize the hourglass-shaped pattern of venomous snakes.

Readers find advice on treating copperhead bites, relocating alligators from residential areas, and identifying habitats that attract unwanted wildlife. Experts also discuss why some snakes climb trees and why others stay ground level.

Read the stories below.

An eastern coral snake is rare in Georgia, but are extremely venomous.

NO. 1: NORTH CAROLINA IS HOME TO 6 VENOMOUS SNAKES. HERE’S WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE

We may be more likely to see snakes this time of year, as the weather warms. Use this information to make encounters less scary. | Published March 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

A copperhead snake looks up at the Nature Museum in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010. By AP Photo/Chuck Burton

NO. 2: NC’S COPPERHEAD SEASON IS HERE. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE COMMON VENOMOUS SNAKE

Copperheads are the only venomous snake you’re likely to encounter in the Triangle and central NC. Here’s how to identify and avoid them. | Published April 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

Copperheads are the most common venomous snake in South Carolina. Local expert, Todd Metz, said he’s already started to see them in the Myrtle Beach area following the winter hibernation season. According to Metz, this year is not different in terms of the number of snakes he’s seen compared to previous years. By Janet Blackmon Morgan

NO. 3: A COPPERHEAD BIT YOUR DOG? WHAT NC VETERINARIANS SAY YOU SHOULD DO

Humans know to leave snakes alone if we see them. Dogs don’t. In case a copperhead strikes your furry friend, keep these tips in mind. | Published April 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted Brooke Cain

Copperheads are the most common venomous snake in South Carolina. Local expert, Todd Metz, said he’s already started to see them in the Myrtle Beach area following the winter hibernation season. According to Metz, this year is not different in terms of the number of snakes he’s seen compared to previous years. By Janet Blackmon Morgan

NO. 4: COPPERHEADS IN NC CAN VARY IN COLOR. SEE WHAT THEY CAN LOOK LIKE

To identify a copperhead, you can’t just go by color alone. Here’s what gives some copperheads a different look. | Published May 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

Alligators are native to the North Carolina coast and they typically avoid contact with humans, experts say.

NO. 5: LARGE GATOR — MISSING 10 INCHES OF ITS TAIL — FOUND IN BACKYARD, NC CAPTORS SAY

It may have lost the tail in a gator brawl, experts say | Published April 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mark Price

Swimmers play at Sennett’s Hole on the Eno River in Durham in July 2023. This and other popular local swimming holes may be busy this summer as temperatures are again expected to be above average. By Kaitlin McKeown

NO. 6: HOW HOT WILL NC GET THIS SUMMER? THE 2025 FORECAST SHOWS IT’LL BE ‘A DOOZY’

With memories of the two hottest years on record still burning the soles of our bare feet, what does the summer of 2025 hold in store? | Published May 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Martha Quillin

Copperheads are the most common venomous snake in South Carolina. Local expert, Todd Metz, said he’s already started to see them in the Myrtle Beach area following the winter hibernation season. According to Metz, this year is not different in terms of the number of snakes he’s seen compared to previous years. By Janet Blackmon Morgan

NO. 7: CAN YOU KEEP COPPERHEADS OUT OF YOUR NC YARD? AN EXPERT RECOMMENDS THESE TIPS

To keep snakes out, you first need to know what brings them in. We have the details. | Published May 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska

Copperheads are the most common venomous snake in South Carolina. Local expert, Todd Metz, said he’s already started to see them in the Myrtle Beach area following the winter hibernation season. According to Metz, this year is not different in terms of the number of snakes he’s seen compared to previous years. By Janet Blackmon Morgan

NO. 8: HOW DO YOU TREAT A COPPERHEAD SNAKE BITE? UNC & DUKE DOCTORS EXPLAIN WHAT TO DO

While copperhead bites rarely kill humans, doctors still recommend seeking medical care. | Published June 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

York County officials said there’s been another confirmed case of West Nile virus, which is spread through mosquito bites. By Andre Penner

NO. 9: NORTH CAROLINA WILL SEE MORE MOSQUITOES THIS WEEK, EXPERTS SAY. HERE’S WHY 

The calm after the storm ends with mosquitoes. Here’s what you need to know. | Published June 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Trinity Olivier

A timber rattlesnake

NO. 10: CAN NC SNAKES CLIMB UP FENCES, TREES OR THE SIDE OF A HOUSE? SOME CAN

Snakes lack arms and legs, but they are still able to climb. Some do it better than others, though. | Published June 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

The alligator crawled out of the Atlantic Ocean June 19 at Sunset Beach, and ended up in a tug-of-war with a police officer, photos show.

NO. 11: LARGE ALLIGATOR CRAWLS FROM OCEAN TO JOIN STUNNED TOURISTS ON BEACH, NC COPS SAY

Alligators are fresh water creatures and only tolerate salt water, experts say. | Published June 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mark Price

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.