Copperhead Rattlesnake?

Question

Why is the snake in its kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species?

Answer 1

Copperheads are sometimes referred to by the Old Folks of the rural South as "Rattlesnake Pilots" or "Ground Rattlers". But I have never known why these references.

My son (age 36) caught a small Copperhead at work last week and called to tell me he had caught a "Ground Rattler". My father in law (age 95) still calls them "Rattle snake Pilots".

I find them more scary than Rattlesnakes because they are so well blended and they have a tendency to lay up in flower bed mulch or thrash piles. And they are very aggressive.

Answer 2

Elphin's answer was interesting - I've always found Copperheads to be very placid and inoffensive. You almost have to make them bite, and even then the venom is not by a long way as dangerous as rattlesnake venom. Still need to get treated at a hospital to make sure there aren't any problems, of course.
Copperheads are very different snakes from Rattlesnakes, though - they're related to Water Moccasins (Cottonmouths). Just do a google on the name and you should get all the taxonomy.

Answer 3

The above info is good, also, be sure not to confuse the snake for one of several similarly marked NON-poisonous water snakes that live throughout the country...such as the Northern water snake.

Answer 4

??? Don't know what you are asking-did not study this.
But, there are Copperheads, and there Rattlesnakes. There is no Copperhead Rattlesnake.