Can You Tell Which of These Snakes is Venomous Enough to Kill a Human?

If you saw a snake in your backyard, would you know if it was venomous? Sure, it's easy to tell a rattler from a rat snake, but other species are harder to identify.

To give us some pointers, the Louisiana Snake ID has shared some tips on how to distinguish between three of the most commonly confused snake species in Louisiana—and yes, two of them are venomous.

"Cottonmouth water moccasins are the most common venomous species we have in Louisiana as they're spread all across the state," Kevin Hood, from Louisiana Snake ID, told Newsweek. "We have 48 species of snakes in Louisiana and Northern cottonmouth water moccasins (Agkistrodon piscivorus) are one of the only seven venomous species."

Cottonmouths are not dissimilar in appearance to the eastern copperhead, a venomous species found throughout the eastern and central United States. "The shape of the pattern on the cottonmouth and copperhead is very similar," Hood said. "The key difference is that the cottonmouth's pattern is much more rough/jagged/pixelated."

A recent study, published in the journal Clinical Toxicology, found that 74 percent of cottonmouth snakes are misidentified as copperheads.

The two species are closely related, and their venoms have similar effects on the blood. However, the venom of a cottonmouth is considered to be more potent. Therefore, it is important to know the difference.

"While venomous, death and severe injuries are extremely rare from cottonmouth bites," Hood said. "In the past 40 years, only three people have died from cottonmouth bites in the US.

"Cottonmouths get a very unfair reputation as being aggressive but having dealt with hundreds in close quarters during relocations, videos, photoshoots etc I can promise they're an extremely docile species that's slow to bite."

Both cottonmouths and copperheads are venomous, so you would want to keep your distance no matter the species. However, people also frequently get confused between cottonmouth and the harmless diamondback watersnake.

According to Hood, the pattern of the diamondback watersnake is more rectangular than the "Hershey kisses" pattern of the cottonmouth and copperhead. Another key difference is the eye placement: pit vipers, like copperheads and cottonmouths, have an eye ridge that prevents us from seeing their eyes from above, whereas you can clearly see the eyes of the harmless watersnake from above.

When in doubt, it is always best to call in a professional to help relocate any snakes you find on your property or in your home. "Snakes never want to bite humans or even pets but bites will happen when people aren't paying attention to where they're stepping or grabbing," Hood said. "Wearing proper footwear (closed-toe shoes or boots) is always recommended for walking outdoors."