FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Snakes are sparking power outages in the Carolinas.
On Tuesday in Fayetteville, a snake got into a power substation, according to a post on the city's public works commission Facebook page.
"They will do anything to get in," said a Duke Energy employee.
In the Carolinas, trees are the number one cause of power outages, but Duke Energy said snakes and other animals are also a common culprit.
Duke Energy sent NBC Charlotte a statement that read, in part, "Snakes are active in the summer so we typically see an increase in outages due to snake-related activity."
"I saw it then I knew it was a giant snake," said Scott Jensen, a Lowell resident.
Like the temperatures, snake sightings are on the rise. Jensen discovered a 12-foot black snake on his property in Lowell.
A woman sent NBC Charlotte a photo of a black rat snake swallowing a copperhead in Forsyth County. It's been shared on Facebook more than 18,000 times and has more than 1,400 likes.
Two years ago in Morganton, workers found a pair of snakes when they opened up an electric box. The snakes had been electrocuted.
To prevent that from happening more Duke Energy installed special fencing with a mesh-like material to prevent snakes and other animals from entering some substations.
"If the animal actually gets in and causes damage that would damage the equipment we would have to replace and make repairs and that could go on for several hours," said a Duke Energy employee.