Even within populations, there are aberrant snakes (ones that appear different from a typical snake of that species). . The blue coral snake belongs to the Elapidae family and is native to southeast Asia. Apart from using venom, this black snake can also use the physical constraint to suffocate its prey. Describes the primary markings/patterns on the belly of the snake. North American Racers are a type of all-black snake. The maritime garter snake eats small animals like salamanders, small fish, toads, earthworms, frogs, tadpoles, and small rodents. B - If no light lateral stripes; venter cream colored with 2 rows of black, half-moon shaped spots; three thin dark stripes on each side of neck then the snake is an Eastern Glossy Swampsnake (Liodytes rigida rigida). Their body color can range from blue, prominent in Florida blue garter snakes, to the many shades of red visible . If bitten it is considered a serious bite and you should seek immediate medical attention, even though fatalities are rare. Their tails account for almost thirty percent of their body length. Some harmless snakes will puff up their head and neck when they feel threatened, which can be deceiving to humans and other predators. Otherwise, he spends most of his life underground. These detect heat and assist them in locating prey. Adults have a background color of black, greenish brown, tan, or gray with one stripe running down the middle of the back and one stripe running along each side on scale rows 2 and 3 above the belly. The tongue is bright red with a black tip. The Rough Earth Snake ranges from shades of black to dark brown or even grey. Most are located under dense vegetation as well. The Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) is also commonly known as the Black Rat Snake and the Pilot Black snake. These snakes are nonvenomous and eat worms, lizards, amphibians, and minnows. They are listed as endangered in the US Endangered Species Act. Every day A-Z Animals sends out some of the most incredible facts in the world from our free newsletter. The set of scales just above its eyes, look like eyelashes, which is where this viper got its name. These snakes need good communication between their natural habitats and areas covered with leaves to freely move around. The snake is a very good tree climber. Reptile.Guide 2023 - All Rights Reserved, Join the discussion! This snake is native to New Guinea, and lives on some Indonesian islands and the Cape York Peninsula in Australia. They are listed as a threatened species by the state of Florida and at the national level by the U.S. . This snake lives on the forest floor in India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, northwest Malaysia, and southern China. From a tiny pink snake, like the worm snake, to an intimidatingly large snake, like the rat snake, youll find a list of all snake species in the state organized by family and genera below. Black Speckled Kingsnake is a large snake, which has a smooth scaled body. Green tree pythons are bright green with small yellow, blue, or green dots. These are semi-aquatic snakes able to spend a long time both in water and on dry land. The belly is yellowish with some irregular or rectangular black markings. Some snakes also have a rust-colored or reddish-brown stripe running down the middle of their backs. This is a shiny black snake with a black body and red and black underside coloration. Eastern Milksnake subspecies Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum, A dark V, U, or Y-shaped mark on top of the head, Ventral scales have a checkerboard pattern, Appearance varies. Other snakes are black with countless cream-colored polka dots and a bright red stripe on their backs, a series of red spots. Lets take a closer look at 18 snakes with dots. Many black species have a taping tactic with their prey. 11 - Harmless Juveniles are gray with distinct reddish-brown blotches running down the back of the head and body. Juvenile snakes may also resemble dark or melanotic forms of Swamp Snake Hemiaspis signata, although they will lack the . It is often found near water, where it commonly hunts amphibians, small fish, toads, and tadpoles. A Plain-bellied Watersnake will make its way to dry land to escape aquatic predators such as other aquatic snakes. Many black snakes live in common pits with venomous snakes which can sometimes make them appear as venomous as well. Black-striped Snake Contia tenuis Sharptail Snake Crotalus adamanteus Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox Western Diamondback Rattlesnake . They have a yellow and black collar, pale belly, and dark markings down the sides. The North American Racer (Coluber constrictor) is also known as the Racer snake, Black Racer, and South American racer. These are not large snakes, growing to around 81cm in length. It is a habitat generalist and is often found in urban/suburban areas. This is a large snake that can grow to 152cm from snout to vent. The blue-striped garter snake is one of the smaller blue snakes on this list, adults usually only grow to 22 inches. Western Ratsnakes dont back down from attacking hawks such as the red-tailed hawks. These snakes arent considered particularly dangerous to humans. Black snakes typically flee when encountering humans. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, Boston and New York. 13 pink snakes in the world, 16 Types of Birds With Blue Feet (with Pictures), 46 Birds With Blue Heads (Pictures and Distribution), 54 Common Black Birds You May See (with Pictures), 41 Common White Birds You May See (with Pictures). 668 pp. They live in a variety of environments, preferring shrubby fields and grassy areas. The Speckled Kingsnake has a shiny black or dark brown body, with a mass of tiny yellow dots that give it its namesake speckled appearance. Stay calm and move as little as possible. There are 21 species of Pennsylvania snakes, three of which are venomous. This new world species lives in southern Mexico, Peru and parts of Brazil. Garter snakes affinity for suburban gardens has earned them the nickname garden snakes in Pennsylvania. Wear sturdy, tall hiking boots and long pants, Be conscious of where you place your hands. The blue-lipped sea krait or the common sea krait is a venomous sea snake, found in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. They grow to an average length of 30 inches while the largest examples to have been found measure more than 60 inches. These snakes are secretive, and like their name, are only active at night. 25. Found in Florida, Louisiana, Kentucky, and other warm states, these snakes are also nocturnal which further decreases the chances of actually seeing one out in nature. The majority of snakes are gray, brown, tan, or black, so finding or seeing a blue snake can be exciting. Size: 35-70 in. The most exposed members of this species are juveniles as they are shorter. This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Their venom is not a neurotoxin, but rather a cytotoxin, which causes immediate paralysis of the victim, prey, or human. The blue coral snake belongs to the Elapidae family and is native to southeast Asia. This snake species is native to Mexico. DeKay's brown snake ( Storeria dekayi ), also known as the brown snake, is a nonvenomous species found in North America and Central America. Scientific name:Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis. Florida Showdown: Who Emerges Victorious in a Burmese Python vs. Crocodile Battle. Fourth edition. I graduated from Brigham Young University with a masters degree in Comparative Studies, focusing on the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Rough Greensnake - Opheodrys aestivus. They grow to a maximum adult length between 12 and 18 inches. Cromathopores are responsible organs for this ability. Common name:eastern indigo snake, indigo, blue indigo snake, black snake, blue gopher snake, and blue bull snake. Its important to note that some individual snakes may vary in their coloration due to different factors. Length: 20 - 56 in. Garter Snakes. The Guatemalan palm pit viper is a venomous pit viper found in Southern Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Their belly is yellowish with black spots. For more information, please read our privacy policy. Species such as the Eastern Kingsnake or the Mudsnake arent venomous. Spotted harlequin snakes are endemic to South Africa and spend most of their time underground buried in rocks, debris, or in deserted termite mounds. The Ringneck Snake is a harmless and secretive snake that lives in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Photo courtesy of Luke Smith. King snakes eat other snakes, even venomous ones. These requirements arent met in areas with heavy industrialization. Hognose snakes are named after their slightly upturned or flat snout that resembles a pig snout. Night snakes are slightly venomous, but they are not dangerous to humans. Distribution in Florida: Throughout most of mainland Florida and the Florida Keys. These colored dots provide a stark contrast to the snakes dark body, which is why it is also called the Salt and Pepper Snake. There are three species of snakes considered endangered in the state of Pennsylvania: There are 11 species of special concern, meaning theyre in danger of becoming threatened due to declining population sizes, specialized habitats, or unnecessary persecution. These species are common throughout the country. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. These are slender snakes with three thin light-colored stripes running the length of the body. My areas of interest include human-animal studies, ecocriticism, wildlife conservation, pets, and animal behavior. The. Some of the most common predators of juvenile Eastern Ratsnakes are cats as these snakes are commonly found around the house. Snake appearances often vary based on habitat and geographic location. A dark checkerboard pattern may be visible along the sides of the body between the back and side stripes. This . Unlike many black snakes, the Eastern Indigo Snake looks similar both as a juvenile and as an adult. These snakes are considered venomous with the occasional human death reported. You can help scientists better understand the biology and distribution of this species by sharing your observations. Yellowish, reddish, gray, or brown body with two rows of dark dorsal spots that sometimes merge. The blue coloration makes these snakes interesting and exciting to exotic pet enthusiasts around the world. Like their name suggests, these snakes eat slugs, snails, and earthworms. These snakes are creamy or light yellow with black saddle-markings or bands along their backs. Habitat: Hardwood forests, pinelands, prairies, scrub, sandhills, residential areas. The higher above sea level it lives, the thinner its stripes tend to be. However, Western Ratsnakes only attack large prey when they become larger themselves. Further characterization includes smooth boy scales that almost dont look separated from each other. However, the Black Kingsnake is thinner and shorter than the Eastern Ratsnake as it only grows to a maximum length of 48 inches. The copperhead is the most common venomous snake in PA. People often misidentify Northern water snakes and Eastern milk snakes as copperheads. There are three venomous species in Pennsylvania. The yellow spotted wolf snake is nonvenomous and lives in the Western Ghats of India. At first glance, many people mistake Brahminy Blind Snakes for earth worms due to their small size and similar appearance. Unfortunately, this species is endangered in Michigan, which is why they are such a rare sight. Outside suburban areas, these juvenile snakes face common enemies such as foxes and raccoons. Common Gartersnakes are not dangerous to people or pets, but they will readily bite to defend themselves. The stripes are typically yellow, green, brown, blue, or white. There is another cream-colored stripe on each side of the snakes body, with additional black dots that run along its length. Eastern Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix, Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen Northern Copperhead subspecies, Statewide except for the northern border of Pennsylvania, Elliptical pupils on a large triangle-shaped head, Copper brown head and a tan, pinkish-brown, or grayish-brown body, Hourglass or saddle-shaped brown bands down the length of the body, Juveniles have similar coloration as adults, except for yellow or green-tipped tails, Forests, rocky hillsides, open habitats, sometimes near sources of water, Mice, birds, lizards, amphibians, insects, and small snakes. Tail is solid dark brown, gray, or black with a lighter-colored rattle. Some of their nests are found next to abandoned fields while others are found in the vicinity of pine forests. However, as hatchlings or juveniles they can actually be more grey and brown in color and patterning. In Pennsylvania, its illegal to damage or disrupt a reptiles nest or eggs. They prefer humid and tropical areas with plenty of foliage and close to a permanent water source. These snakes will happily abide anywhere there's vegetation. The Green Tree Python is a large snake that typically to 5 or 6 feet in length. If you have a particular interest in watching or photographing wildlife, then you should absolutely check out the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge. The Black Swampsnake (Liodytes pygaea) is common in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama. They use physical constraints with prey or they swallow prey without any constraints. A copper-bellied water snake usually has a distinctive bright orange belly with no markings. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Reptile.Guide is the preferred educational source on reptiles favored by experienced herptologists and new owners alike. Snakes of the United States and Canada. Habitat: Open grassy habitats or open forests. As their name suggests, these snakes are mostly interested in preying on rodents such as rats. The head of a king snake is wider than the neck, and baby king snakes have bulging eyes. Describes the primary markings/patterns on the back of the snake. Common name:blue-lipped sea krait, blue-banded sea krait, common sea krait. The head of a pit viper is a well-defined triangle shape due to the location of the venom glands on each side. Females give birth to live snakes and they have been shown to feed more while gravid. This snake is also known as a fearless snake that commonly eats mammals and even other snakes. Arizona Black Rattlesnakes can change color just as chameleons. Users are stunned by this $30 Vitamin C serum that brightens skin to reduce lines and fade dark spots and under eye circles - with before and after pictures as proof The majority of these snakes have a blue stripe on the black and red background, growing to 100cm in total length. Plain-bellied Water Snakes also have many types of predators. White spotted slug snakes are small, only around 18 inches in length. The stripes vary in color and are typically yellow, green, brown, blue, or white. These snakes are a uniform blue/black with some having a red to orange or tan-colored throat, chin, and cheeks. Blue racers are non-venomous snakes that live in open and semi-open habitats, such as old fields and savannahs. Common Gartersnakes can be found in pinelands, hardwood hammocks, cypress strands, prairies, marshes, melaleuca stands, and any wet grassy habitats, especially along the edges of any standing or flowing bodies of water. Your regional Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission office will relocate venomous species for you. There are a number of snakes that are blue, some are uniform blue others will have some blue coloration on them. Despite its wide diet and its capacity to eat venomous snakes, the Eastern Kingsnake remains small compared to other black snakes. Antivenom is most effective when administered within a few hours. Report your snake sightings to The Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile Survey (PARS) and discover more in-depth information on PA reptiles and amphibians. Appearance: Dark background color somewhere in the region of brown-blue or glossy blue-black. There are small black dots bordering both sides of a light-colored stripe that runs down the middle of the snakes back. Like the black rat snake, it is mostly black, but it has smooth scales. The Mudsnake (Farancia abacura) has many nicknames. Most adult North American Racers are about 20-56 inches (50-142 cm) in total length. Check out the largest speckled racer ever recorded. Females give birth to a small number of live snakes. Captive adults tend to turn blue with age with some blue specimens also being identified in the wild. The Black Racer is one of the most common snakes you may encounter in Florida. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. The spotted brown snake is venomous and eats reptiles and frogs. As suggested by their common name, these snakes are aquatic and are not typically found away from water bodies. Common Gartersnakes are found throughout mainland Florida in every county, and there is one record from the Florida Keys. Anywhere between 2 and 15 live snakes are born until October each year. Frogs and even juvenile snakes of other species are known to be subdued by constraint. In Florida there are two subspecies of Black Swamp Snakes. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. A long black, blue, or brown snake with a sharp, pointed snout. White-lipped island pit vipers are venomous snakes found in eastern Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands. All blue snakes are venomous, but their venom is not always dangerous to humans. All juveniles are vividly colored as opposed to dark-colored adults. They have large ventral scales with females growing to 1070mm and males to 910mm in body length. In Florida, females give live birth to 3-80 young between July and October. These snakes can be found in red, yellow, green, brown, pink, and blue. The Dekays Brown Snake is small and rarely grows longer than 12 inches in length. They are mostly nocturnal, feeding on small birds, lizards, rodents, and frogs. There are a number of different color morphs from yellow or green to brown or light blue. However, spotted bush snakes are nonvenomous and completely harmless. Venomous/Non-Venomous: Non-venomous. They are animals of many habitats, but especially semi-open brushy areas. Memorizing all 21 species native to Pennsylvania is a tall order. If you have a new or interesting observation for this species, please email the herpetology staff at the Florida Museum. Top 20 Rat Snakes By Popularity. The Speckled Racer is a glossy black snake with bold and distinct blue and yellow polka dots on each of its scales. The black racer snake in North America does occasionally kill and eat other snakes. For example, they vibrate their tails before an attack. As its name suggests, the black snake is truly black with a black dorsal and a black belly. These species are common throughout the country. Common in states such as Texas and Oklahoma, nonvenomous Plain-bellied Water Snakes (Nerodia erythrogaster) are found in various colors from dark olive to all-black. Scientific name:Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis. California red-sided garters ( Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis) are a dark bluish black with a bright red head, red checkered pattern and a turquoise blue dorsal stripe. They are appropriately named Racers as they move incredibly quick! This guide is only for Pennsylvania snake identification. North American Racer. Studies show the Arizona Black Rattlesnake is one of the social species of black snakes. The common kingsnake normally has sparse, chain-like white bands. The underside of the snake is orange-yellow to red with crescent-shaped black spots. Certain individuals may also have patches of red on their chin. Keep in mind that even non-venemous snakebites can cause infections. There are few truly dangerous snakes in Pennsylvania, and venomous bites are extremely rare. Black-striped Snake. The upper lip scales are light-colored and have thin black lines along their vertical edges making them look like teeth. The Barons green racer is a venomous snake endemic to South America. Garter snake. The northern racer has large, smooth, glossy scales, a prominent eyebrow ridge, and dark gray ventral scales. Its habitat is expanding into Guatemala and North America. Their belly is mostly black with irregular cream or yellow colored markings. These snakes are sometimes seen together, but only in cold climates when they need to share a den to stay warm. It has a small orange or yellow band around its neck, and black and white polka dots along the rest of its body. In my spare time, I enjoy exploring the outdoors, watching movies, reading, creating art, and caring for my pets. In some snakes these yellow dots form clusters and small crossbands. Black rat snakes, however, aren't known for snake killing. The head is darker than the body. 2003. The rough greensnake is a common visitor to gardens in Virginia. The Western Brown Snake is found throughout most of the country. It is a plan brown snake but what it lacks in vibrant colors, it makes up for in venom, and this is one of the most venomous snakes in Australia, made all the more deadly by the fact that the bite is almost painless and incredibly difficult to detect. The Black Kingsnake is also highly common around floodplains. The stripes are visible on some snakes and slightly visible on others. Albino Garter Snake. Western Worm Snakes spend most of their lives underground, which means people rarely see them. Some have black or brown specs, others have no pattern. Its natural habitat includes Southern parts of the country . They are usually spotted in wetlands and grasslands but can be seen in gardens too. However, most adult snakes arent known for constricting their prey as they prefer to swallow it alive.