Copperhead snakes eat mostly small rodents, especially mice and voles, plus frogs, toads, lizards, small birds, other small snakes and a surprising number of insects, above all cicadas and caterpillars. Young copperheads lean heavily on insects and small frogs, while adults take more mice and birds.
They are patient ambush hunters that may eat only around 8 to 12 real meals a year. Below is what they eat, how the menu changes with age and season, and how they catch it.
Copperhead Diet at a Glance
Copperheads are opportunists. A University of Georgia extension review notes they eat more than 30 different kinds of prey. In a long-running Kansas study, prairie voles were the most common prey and cicadas ranked second.
| Prey group | Examples | Who eats it most |
|---|---|---|
| Small mammals | Mice (often nestlings), voles, shrews, young rats | Adults; the main staple |
| Insects | Cicadas, caterpillars, large moths | Juveniles, and adults in summer |
| Amphibians | Frogs, toads, salamanders | All ages, especially juveniles |
| Reptiles | Lizards, small snakes, now and then a small turtle | Mostly adults |
| Birds | Small birds and nestlings | Adults |
| Other invertebrates | Millipedes | Occasional |
What Adult Copperheads Eat
Mice are the backbone of the adult diet. UGA’s natural history guide says copperheads typically feed on mice and often take the young while they are still in the nest. Voles, shrews, small birds, lizards, frogs and small snakes round out the menu.
Because they eat so many rodents, copperheads act as free pest control in woodlands and along field edges. Researchers have also pointed out that snakes eating rodents end up swallowing the ticks those rodents carry.
Prey size matters. UGA notes that a single prey item averages about 20% of the snake’s body weight, which is why a few meals go a long way.
What Baby Copperheads Eat
Copperheads are born live, usually in late summer or early fall, at about 8 to 10 inches long. They already have working fangs and venom and are on their own from the start.
Young copperheads eat mostly insects, especially caterpillars, along with small frogs, toads and lizards. They have a bright yellow or greenish-yellow tail tip, and they use it as bait.
The Yellow Tail Lure
A young copperhead will coil up, hold still and slowly wiggle its tail tip. To a frog or lizard, the tail looks like a caterpillar or worm. When the animal comes in for an easy meal, the snake strikes. Scientists call this caudal luring. The yellow color usually fades within about a year, though adults in some populations keep a pale tail tip.
Copperheads and Cicadas
Cicadas are a big deal for copperheads. On warm summer nights, copperheads gather at the base of oak trees and even climb into low shrubs to catch cicada nymphs as they crawl out of the ground to molt.
The snakes target freshly emerged cicadas before the insects’ shells have hardened. Texas Parks and Wildlife describes this as “cheap and easy” food: cicadas show up in huge numbers and have no defense beyond a crunchy shell. At some sites, the gathering happens every year, and the same snakes may return night after night. Biologists do not think the snakes are cooperating. They are simply drawn to the same spots where cicadas come up in large numbers.
Copperheads also eat caterpillars in large numbers when they are abundant, as well as large moths.
How Copperheads Hunt
Copperheads are mostly sit-and-wait predators. Their copper and brown camouflage blends into dead leaves, so they can lie still for long periods until something walks within striking range.
- Heat pits. Like other pit vipers, copperheads have a heat-sensing pit on each side of the face that helps them find warm-blooded prey in the dark.
- Venom. They bite with hinged, hollow fangs that inject venom.
- Hold or release. Small prey is usually held in the mouth until it dies. Larger prey, like an adult mouse, is bitten and released, then tracked by scent after the venom takes effect.
- Swallowed whole. Like all snakes, they swallow prey whole, usually head first.
- Active hunting. They will move around to hunt when food is easy, such as during cicada emergences.
How Often Do Copperheads Eat?
Not often. Copperheads have a slow metabolism and get a lot from each meal.
- UGA reports they can get through summer on one meal every three weeks and can survive on as few as eight meals in an active season.
- Penn State, as cited by Live Science, puts adult intake at roughly 10 to 12 meals a year, depending on prey size.
- Over a full season, a copperhead eats about 1.25 to 2 times its own body weight in food.
- Pregnant females do not feed while carrying young.
How the Diet Changes by Season
Copperheads are active from about March to October in much of their range, and their schedule shifts with temperature.
- Spring: More daytime activity. Snakes leave winter dens and start hunting rodents and frogs.
- Summer: Mostly active at night to avoid the heat. This is cicada and caterpillar season, and warm, humid nights after rain are prime hunting time.
- Fall: Back to more daytime activity as nights cool. Snakes feed before heading to their dens.
- Winter: No feeding. Copperheads spend the cold months in rock crevices, stump holes or shared dens, sometimes with timber rattlesnakes and rat snakes, and live off stored reserves.
What Eats Copperheads?
Copperheads are near the top of their food chain, but not untouchable. Kingsnakes sometimes eat them, and hawks, owls and feral pigs may take one when the chance comes up. People, mostly through habitat loss and killing snakes on sight, are their biggest threat.
For a wider look at how pit vipers feed, see our guide to what viper snakes eat. If you live in the West, you may also like what rattlesnakes eat in the desert, and if you find snakes near water, what northern water snakes eat covers a harmless species that is often mistaken for a copperhead.
Copperheads Around Your Home
Copperheads go where food is. Woodpiles, leaf piles, overgrown edges and anything that attracts mice can also attract copperheads. Keeping brush cleared, storing firewood off the ground and controlling rodents makes your yard less appealing.
Copperhead venom is the least toxic of any venomous snake in the U.S., and deaths are very rare, but a bite still needs emergency care. Leave copperheads alone, keep pets on a leash in snake country, and call your vet right away if your dog or cat is bitten.
Bottom Line
Copperheads eat mainly mice and voles, with cicadas as a major seasonal food. Babies start on caterpillars, insects and small frogs, using their yellow tail tips as bait. Adults ambush prey with heat pits and venom, eat only about 8 to 12 times a year, and skip food entirely over winter.
FAQ
Do copperheads eat other snakes?
Yes, now and then. Small snakes are part of their diet, though rodents, frogs and insects make up much more of it.
Do copperheads really eat cicadas?
Yes. In a Kansas study, cicadas were the second most common prey after prairie voles. Copperheads gather under trees on summer nights to catch newly emerged cicadas.
What do baby copperheads eat first?
Mostly insects such as caterpillars, plus small frogs, toads and lizards. They wiggle their yellow tail tips to lure frogs and lizards close.
Do copperheads eat in winter?
No. They stay in dens or sheltered spots through the cold months and do not feed until spring.
Can you keep a copperhead as a pet?
Copperheads are venomous, and keeping them is restricted or requires a permit in many states. They are not suitable pets for most people. Wild copperheads should be left alone.
Sources
- University of Georgia Extension: Natural History Series, Copperhead
- The Orianne Society: Eastern Copperhead
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine: Copperheads Are Coming for the Cicadas
- Kansas State University Herpetology Lab: Copperhead
- Live Science: Copperhead snakes, facts, bites and babies
This article is general information about wild snakes. If you or a pet may have been bitten by a copperhead, get emergency medical or veterinary care right away.
