Copperheads, timber rattlers and the rare Eastern massasauga among Pa.'s venomous snakes

May 31—Summer is rapidly approaching, and, for a lot of people, that means getting into the great outdoors — whether it's spending a few days camping, hiking a favorite trail or just getting out and enjoying a wooded park.

Pennsylvania's snake population also is enjoying the nice weather, and that can mean anything from basking on a rock by the banks of Turtle Creek to basking in the sun on the cement steps of your back porch.

But for those who instantly get squeamish at the thought of a snake slithering across their path, the best news is, generally speaking, you're a much bigger danger to the snake than vice versa.

Snakes breed from spring into the fall, depending on the species, and the 21 species native to Pennsylvania will be out looking for love in the coming months, according to state wildlife officials.

"A person's attitude about snakes appears to correlate with the relative nearness of a snake at any given time," former Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission Deputy Director Andrew Shiels wrote as part of an informational campaign on the state's snake population.

Pennsylvania has only three venomous snakes — the Northern copperhead, the timber rattlesnake and the Eastern massasauga rattlesnake.

"All of these species are usually nonaggressive and prefer to avoid confrontation," Shiels said.

The copperhead is the most widespread and can be found throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania — and really anywhere except the state's northernmost counties.

The timber rattlesnake's range doesn't include Allegheny or Butler counties, according to Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission maps, but it can be found in eastern parts of Armstrong and Westmoreland counties.

You'll have to look awfully hard to find an Eastern massasauga rattler, however. Listed as an endangered species in Pennsylvania, it is called the "swamp rattler" since it's mostly confined to wetland areas, and in Pennsylvania it is confined to a small region that includes Mercer, Lawrence and Butler counties, along with parts of southern Crawford County and northern Beaver County.

It it found in other swampy areas of the country and is Ontario's only venomous snake.

Contrary to popular belief, rattlesnakes don't always make their signature noise as a warning to steer clear, Shiels said. Many times, a snake simply will lie still and wait for what it perceives as danger to pass by, deploying the rattle if it truly feels threatened.

Venomous snakes belong to the pit-viper family and can be identified by their facial "pits" — small indentations on the cheeks which help in heat detection and locating prey. They also have vertical, elliptical pupils, whereas nonvenomous snakes' eyes have round pupils more like a human eye, according to state environmental officials.

The larger snakes that are encountered more often — and which generally provoke the most fear — are usually harmless Eastern rat snakes or Northern water snakes.

According to the nonprofit Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile Survey, residents are much more likely to encounter the harmless Eastern garter snake, Eastern black rat snake or the olive-colored queen snake. Those are the three most-reported species encountered in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties, according to historic survey data. Only one Eastern massasauga rattlesnake sighting has been reported across both counties.

Snakes tend to be found near cover such as fallen logs, brush piles and rock walls and ledges. Potential encounters can be reduced by keeping an eye where you place your hands and feet while in the woods. They are beneficial to humans, wildlife officials said, by preying on rodents and sometimes even other snakes.

For homeowners, Shiels said, sealing cracks and openings particularly at or near ground level can prevent a snake from seeking shelter in a residence; however, the lack of prey in a human household usually means the snake isn't going to stick around long.

If bitten by an unidentified snake, Shiels said, some signs that it is venomous can include fang marks, pain or a metallic or rubbery taste in the mouth several minutes after a bite. Other signs can manifest within about 10 minutes, including nausea, weakness and a change in body temperature. Black-and-blue discoloration may appear within three to six hours of a bite.

For the most part, Shiels said, Pennsylvania's snakes should be treated like any other wild animal, venomous or not.

"Respect it for what it is, what it does and allow it to continue on its way," he said.

Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at [email protected].