Midway between the eyes and nostrils of the copperhead are thermoreceptors called pits. These sensors pick up heat signatures of warm-blooded prey and have a range of up to three feet. Nerve fibers within the pit, called trigeminal ganglia, to form a profile of the hunted animal. The pit helps snakes detect heat instead of relying on light to identify their prey. This enables them to detect prey day or night.

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