WHY PEOPLE OFTEN MISTAKES TO IDENTIFY THEM ?
Cottonmouths and water snakes , both are semi aquatic snakes found almost all over USA , so one is more likely to encounter one if he/she likes to go hiking , swimming or camping in the forest , whereas the copperhead is more likely to be found in the rocky-forested hillsides, brushy areas along creeks. So what makes them tough to identify at a glance is that they have almost the same color pattern in their body , have similar length as well as habitat.
The common watersnake or Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon)
HOW VENOMOUS ARE THEY?
Although both cottonmouths and copperheads have hemotoxic venom ,cottonmouths are the most venomous among them . They have hemotoxic venom that acts on the cardiovascular system, breaks down and destroys blood cells and other tissues and also reduces the ability of blood to coagulate or clot . Copperheads also have primarily hemotoxic venom though they are relatively one of the weakest among pit vipers . Even still , one should seek medical treatment if bitten by any of these two .
The Copperhead Snake (Agkistrodon contortrix)
HOW TO SPOT THE DIFFERENCES ?
The fastest way to identify a cottonmouth is its white color inside its mouth . They also have a more flattened body than copperheads . The easiest way to identify a copperhead is their hourglass looking bands all over their body and their belly is slightly checkered . But it's not like you necessarily see the belly of a snake . The watersnakes are the easiest to identify as they have spherical shaped eyes , stripes around their mouth and checkered belly .
It's always best to leave a snake on its own and not disturb it as they are more like a shy creature . Always try to admire its beauty from a bit of distance .