A good nickname for a this snake would be “heat-seeking missile”.   The name “pit viper” comes from small pits located between the nose and eye on each side of the head. These pits are heat (or infrared) sensors that the snake uses to sense the body heat of mammals and birds in the dark.  Since the pits are located on each side of the head the snake can judge distance and direction of the prey fairly accurately.  Most pit vipers like to hunt in the night when its cooler and its warm blooded prey is easier to sense.

Pits vipers have another thing in common – they’re all venomous.  They inject poison into their prey through hollow fangs.  When the fangs aren’t in use they fold back along the roof of the snake’s mouth.

Pit vipers are found in the Americas, Asia and parts of Europe.  Some well know pit vipers include rattlesnakes, lanceheads, moccasins, Asian pitvipers, and Temple vipers.

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