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Snakes biting in Reston
At least three Reston residents and three pets were bitten by copperhead snakes in September.
There were additional unconfirmed reports of residents who were bitten by a snake, but Reston Association officials do not believe those incidents involved the poisonous copperheads because there is no report of the victims seeking medical treatment, said Larry Butler, the association's director of parks and recreation.
"If you get a copperhead bite, you're going to have some effects from it," he said.
The bites are rarely fatal, but they can cause severe pain and swelling and could potentially cause an allergic reaction.
There have not been any reported copperhead bites in Reston for six or seven years, Butler said.
"They tend to be cyclical," he said. "Whether that is the weather or the predators that feed on them, we don't know."
Fairfax County Animal Control and the Health Department could not provide any data on copperhead bites in the county.
After the reports, RA staff began trying to raise awareness about copperheads and how to avoid a bite, including posting photos of the snakes at trail heads in the areas where people were bitten. All of the human bites happened east of Weihle Avenue, Butler said.
Snakes like to warm themselves on driveways and other asphalt surfaces at night, and they den under rocks and logs.
"Just be aware of your surroundings," Butler recommends. "They're going to be going into their dens soon and we won't see them again until next spring or summer."
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