Great thread and thanks for putting so much data into it! I do disagree on both the cottonmouth and the brown recluse. I live in Granville County and I have seen cottonmouth's more than a few times in my life, and I killed one directly behind my house by my shed about 7 years or so ago. Brown Recluse were plentiful when I was a kid, especially in and around our very large, square grapevine that was structured exactly like a square tent in our front yard when I was growing up. Loved that thing! Made a great play area for a little boy in those days! I don't see them nearly as frequently as I used to but I still see them on occasion. A friend of mine at work back in the 90's got bit on the bottom of his wrist by a brown recluse and suffered for weeks. We thought the boy's arm was going to rot off. Nasty infection. Similar with another guy at work who got bit on the hand by an adult copperhead. He had one of those round concrete bowls that had a tree in it but the tree had died and his wife wanted it pulled out and re-potted with a new tree. Lots of dead leaves/etc in it. The snake was on the inside of the entire perimeter of the bowl and bit him when he grabbed the base of the tree to pull it out. Poor guy missed two full weeks of work in agony.
I will probably see one tomorrow just because of stating this but for the first time, maybe ever, i have not happened upon a snake at any point this year on our farm. Not even the plentiful common black/rat snake. I have happened upon many of the different types of NC snakes in my day, one of which was the multi-colored red/yellow/black snakes. Always assumed it was a King Snake but could not be certain. Unlike my buddy Chris, I do not like snakes.. at all... kind of similar to how I feel about uncFraud actually.
The only snake I have ever handled and actually like is the green snake. They are very nice and do not try to bite you when you pick them up. Those are cool.
I do caution all the "city boys" at work to never walk at night here in the Triangle without a good flashlight because copperheads are nocturnal and most often come out at night to feed. Even in mostly pavement/cement neighborhoods it is just not safe to walk at night without a light. Good way to get bit and experience that $100K ER visit Lotusland opined about above...
Again, great thread and thanks for putting it up.