Eastern copperhead

Its tail can vibrate more than 40 times per second, faster than almost any non-rattlesnake snake.1

Juveniles wave a brightly coloured tail to attract frogs and perhaps lizards, a behaviour called caudal luring.1

Its camouflage is so good that it can be almost impossible to see on dead leaves or red clay.1

In Texas, copperheads have been found in bushes, vines and trees up to 12 metres above the ground, seeking newly emerged cicadas.1

Its venom has potential medicinal value to humans.1

Historically, kingsnakes were major predators of copperheads, and recent copperhead numbers have risen where kingsnake populations have declined.1