All three venomous snake species in the state are pit vipers. One of the distinct traits of the species is the ability to change color. Still have questions about snakes or identifications? They prefer crawling beneath leaves on the ground to avoid detection. The northern racer has large, smooth, glossy scales, a prominent eyebrow ridge, and dark gray ventral scales. Blue Racers, for example are common around the Great Lakes region. Adults can grow to 1.8 meters in length. The blue coral snake belongs to the Elapidae family and is native to southeast Asia. Venomous/Non-Venomous: Non-venomous. When approached, gartersnakes will typically flee for shelter, relying on speed and agility to avoid capture. Arizona Black Rattlesnakes grow to a maximum size between 31 and 43 inches. Each time their molt, there is a new segment added to their rattle. They are smooth scaled snakes with males growing to 2.36 meters and weighing 4.5 kilograms and females growing to 2 meters and weighing 2.7 kilograms. This striking blue and black banded sea snake can be found in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, New Guinea, Philippines, Fiji, Taiwan, Solomon Islands, and Australia, to name a few. Common name:California red-sided garter snake. These snakes are hunted by hawks and Kingsnakes among other species. Wildlife Informer is reader-supported. They are opportunistic killers going for a wide range of rodents regardless of their size. They have large round heads and heavy bodies, their tails have a rattle, which is made of keratin. 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 However, as hatchlings or juveniles they can actually be more grey and brown in color and patterning. This snake has yellow or white speckles along the sides. Do you have snakes around your house? Tail is solid dark brown, gray, or black with a lighter-colored rattle. Snakes are essential features of the PA ecosystem. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. As suggested by their common name, these snakes are aquatic and are not typically found away from water bodies. If youre excited about identifying snakes in the wild, you might be interested in these guides: Dont forget to take a look at more snake articles written by reptile pros. Otherwise, he spends most of his life underground. Western Worm Snakes spend most of their lives underground, which means people rarely see them. They may emit a foul-smelling odor. Ringnecks are typically found under leaf-litter or logs and they also burrow. All three species of venomous snakes in Pennsylvania are members of the Viperidae family. Grandma's chicken snake. The stripes are visible on some snakes and slightly visible on others. These are not large snakes, growing to around 81cm in length. University of Oklahoma Press, 336 pp. Despite its wide diet and its capacity to eat venomous snakes, the Eastern Kingsnake remains small compared to other black snakes. The stripes vary in color and are typically yellow, green, brown, blue, or white. 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 California red-sided garters name is a slender snake indigenous to North America. 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. They are usually near permanent or almost permanent water areas, such as dunes, shallow waters, and marshlands. Top 20 Rat Snakes By Popularity. Found in wet habitats in spring and fall, and dry habitats in summer, Small mammals, lizards, frogs, other snakes, and invertebrates. Other snakes are black with countless cream-colored polka dots and a bright red stripe on their backs, a series of red spots. Some of them are easy to mistake for one of the many harmless species throughout the state. There are 21 species of Pennsylvania snakes, three of which are venomous. "That's a chicken . Snakes of these species are known for mostly eating earthworms which is why they spend most of their lives in damp soil with high chances of finding earthworms. These snakes are common in swamps and near rivers, where they hunt lizards, small rodents, and other snakes. If you take extra precautions and leave snakes alone, theres no need to worry about a bite from these elusive reptiles. Some snakes also have additional dark bands around their bodies. In young individuals, the light spots form crossbars along the back. Occasionally you may find a snake in your yard or even inside your home. Usually Blace Rat Snakes have spots on the otherwise light colored belly. These snakes are common in forests and grasslands. The Indigo became federally protected in 1978. They are nonvenomous but have been known to strike in order to defend themselves. The following species are known for their mostly black coloring. This happens in August or September. The species is considered threatened in Georgia and Florida. King snakes eat other snakes, even venomous ones. The underside of the snake is orange-yellow to red with crescent-shaped black spots. When a ringneck snake feels threatened, it curls its body into a large coil and exposes its brightly colored belly. Female Plain-bellied Water Snakes are known to give birth to as many as 18 live juveniles. Up to 12 eggs are laid at once by the snake. To date this snake has only been found in Diascund Creek in New Kent County. Night snakes live in North America, from Mexico through the western United States and up through Canadas British Columbia. Common name: blue coral snake, blue Malayan coral snake. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Their venom is not a neurotoxin, but rather a cytotoxin, which causes immediate paralysis of the victim, prey, or human. The head is darker than the body. Ernst, C.H. If you have a new or interesting observation for this species, please email the herpetology staff at the Florida Museum. The all black body means it can often be confused with the Black Racers. There are few truly dangerous snakes in Pennsylvania, and venomous bites are extremely rare. Head parietal spots touch each other No (1) No spots (1) Yes (1) Head pit between nostril and eye No (146) Yes (17) Head postocular scale number usually 1 (1) 2 (1) The Black Racer is one of the most common snakes you may encounter in Florida. Learn more. There are 11 different subspecies of . The crucial thing to remember is not to panic. All juveniles are vividly colored as opposed to dark-colored adults. A white or yellow spot in the center of most of the scales makes it look speckled. Racers are noted for eating a diversity of smaller prey items, including smaller snakes, rodents, frogs, lizards and even small turtles. Some black snakes are wrongfully associated with venomous snakes and even misidentified with venomous snakes as they share the same den. Collins. These snakes are a uniform blue/black with some having a red to orange or tan-colored throat, chin, and cheeks. Bright orange or yellow neck ring and ventral scales . Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. The 7 Best Snake Guard Chaps You Can Buy Today, See a Gator Bite an Electric Eel With 860 Volts, The 15 Deepest Lakes in the United States, Watch a Great White Shark Stalk a Child on a Boogie Board, Snake Quiz - 66,274 People Couldn't Ace This Quiz, Watch a Gigantic Python Attack a Range Rover and Refuse to Give Up, Watch A Hawk Turn From Predator to Prey In an Instant After Hunting A Snake, Watch an Indigo Snake Consume a Python Whole. Seek emergency veterinary care if a snake bites your pet. It is a new world coral snake of medium size with a slender body. There are three venomous species in Pennsylvania. It takes up to 2.5 months for young snakes to emerge. It is a habitat generalist and is often found in urban/suburban areas. This snake species is native to Mexico. Certain individuals may also have patches of red on their chin. Adults are black or bluish/black with white or whitish markings on the chin and throat. This snake is found throughout Texas in grasslands, brushlands, and sandy fields. They have tan or yellow stripes. The dorsal portion of the snake is mostly black with red bands emerging from the ventral (belly) side of the snake. Tiger rats are one of the largest pet snakes in North and South America and reach an average length of nearly ten feet. Many desert snakes have neutral, sandy colors, while others have bright and bold patterns that could easily inspire new fashion trends. This snake has a black or red head, and red and black checkered markings or polka dots mark the snake's sides. They typically prefer to live in moist or wet habitats but often travel into dry areas as well. The average body length of the adults is 36-48 inches. Rough Greensnake - Opheodrys aestivus. It can be totally black, have dark blotches under a light black color, or be black with some reddish-orange flecks mixed in. The Eastern Hognose will display death-feigning behavior when threatened and will roll onto its back and prop its mouth open to appear dead. However, the species is well-adapted to live in areas with scarce water supplies such as deserts. Thank you for visiting! Most of these nests are found in sandy or loose soils easy for the snakes to crawl through. The rock rattlesnake belongs to the pit viper family and is a venomous snake in the southwestern United States and North Mexico. A lighter dorsal stripe bordered by dark brown or black spots. Northern Water Snake subspecies Nerodia sipedon sipedon, Brown, tan, or gray with brown or reddish-brown bands and blotches along the body, Juveniles have more distinct patterns that darken as they age, Near sources of water, such as lakes, ponds, rivers, canals, swamps, and marshes, Fish, amphibians, small mammals, birds, and invertebrates, Northern Brown Snake subspecies Storeria dekayi dekayi, Western quarter of the state and most of Southeast and Central Pennsylvania, A lighter dorsal stripe bordered by dark brown or black spots, A variety of habitats, including woodlands, grasslands, marshes, and urban areas, Slugs, snails, earthworms, and soft insects, Northern Ring-necked Snake subspecies Diadophis punctatus edwardsii, Bright orange or yellow neck ring and ventral scales, A variety of habitats, particularly damp hardwood forests, rocky areas, and fields, The northern ring-necked snake is one of the most common species found in PA homes, White lips, chin, throat, and ventral scales. Common Gartersnake with checkerboard pattern. The Green Tree Python is a large snake that typically to 5 or 6 feet in length. The snake commonly attacks large prey only when it reaches a length of around 60 inches. Have some feedback for us? There are many different colors of spotted house snakes. The Eastern Mud Snake is a highly recognizable snake due to its coloration. These snakes can grow to 180cm in length with males being slightly smaller than the female. The Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi) is a primarily black snake with red coloring on its chin. The Black Rat Snake ranks as the most wide ranging of the species. Unfortunately, this species is endangered in Michigan, which is why they are such a rare sight. This snake can sometimes be black as a juvenile as well. Many animals rely on snakes as a source of food, including birds of prey, foxes, turtles, raccoons, and even other snakes. Most Mudsnakes lay varying numbers of eggs from a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 104. Having the ability to identify wild snakes in your area is an important skill set to possess. Negative Theme. Scientific name:Coluber constrictor foxii. For example, they vibrate their tails before an attack. The underbelly of the snake is of a contrasting light color, typically white, off-white . Some scales may be bordered in blue. The North American Racer (Coluber constrictor) is also known as the Racer snake, Black Racer, and South American racer. Some living in the mountains are completely black. The Arizona Black Rattlesnake female gives birth to live juvenile snakes. The ground color is generally black or dark brown. Lets discuss the states most common species in detail, and discover all of its native snakes. The most notable difference between these species: Hourglass-shaped bands narrow in the center of the back and widen towards the sides, solid copper-colored head, Oval-shaped head (only appears triangular when threatened), Bands opposite of a copperheads, wide in the center and narrow towards the edges, rectangular blotches along the sides, coloration and pattern variable, older adults appear patternless, V, U, or Y-shaped mark on top of the head, square-shaped blotches with black borders along the back instead of bands, small blotches along the sides, Statewide except for the western border and southeast corner of Pennsylvania, The largest venomous species in the state, Vertical pupils on a large, triangle-shaped head, Sometimes have a dark stripe from the eye to the corner of the mouth. This snake is well known for its iconic resting posture: it loops its tail 1-2 times over a tree and rests its head in the middle of this coil-like shape. These snakes are docile but are often mistaken for young rattlesnakes. Some harmless snakes will puff up their head and neck when they feel threatened, which can be deceiving to humans and other predators. The coloration of juveniles is similar to adults. Black swampsnakes are only found in and around wetlands: primarily cypress swamps, marshes, and lake edges, where they feed on tadpoles, worms, small fish, frogs, and salamanders. However, the snakes belly is yellowish or cream colored, with two distinct rows of black dots running down the middle. Adults and juveniles of this species are often found in suburban neighborhoods where development encroaches into favorable habitats. These tree snakes are active during the day and are not usually aggressive if it gets a fright. This species isnt venomous. A Plain-bellied Watersnake will make its way to dry land to escape aquatic predators such as other aquatic snakes. Fourth edition. The higher above sea level it lives, the thinner its stripes tend to be. Yellowish, reddish, gray, or brown body with two rows of dark dorsal spots that sometimes merge. 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. They are not very common as they are fossorial, meaning they spend most of their time underground. Describes the primary markings/patterns on the belly of the snake. These colorful snakes have a mild venom, and eat blind snakes, legless skinks, and other small reptiles. Theyre not aggressive snakes, and theyll help you keep a healthy garden by eating pests. Some of the ring-necked snakes have cream neckbands. This indicates it doesnt use venom for defensive purposes. The majority of these snakes have a blue stripe on the black and red background, growing to 100cm in total length. Every day A-Z Animals sends out some of the most incredible facts in the world from our free newsletter. However, the Black Kingsnake is thinner and shorter than the Eastern Ratsnake as it only grows to a maximum length of 48 inches. The eastern rat snake is commonly called a black rat snake in Pennsylvania. There are 21 species of snakes found in Pennsylvania, and nearly all of them are nonvenomous. Speckled kingsnakes are unique because they can eat venomous snakes like cottonmouths, copperheads, and rattlesnakes. However, if you see a black snake in Florida, chances are it is one of the snakes found on this list. Our mission at Wildlife Informer is to share free information and pictures of wildlife with our readers. Commonly found in regions of Arizona, the species has a wide diet given it grows to a considerable size. They mostly eat lizards, salamanders, blind snakes, frogs, juvenile rattlesnakes, and large insects. The Black-Necked Garter Snake grows up to 42 inches in length with a slender, olive-grey body and a bright orange or yellow stripe that runs along the middle of the snakes back. The blue-lipped sea krait or the common sea krait is a venomous sea snake, found in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. Some of their nests are found next to abandoned fields while others are found in the vicinity of pine forests. Black snakes are largely nonvenomous. Scientific name: genus Thamnophis. This snake has a highly toxic venom. Patterns and colors of Eastern Hognoses may vary, but some individuals are nearly all black. The maritime garter snake eats small animals like salamanders, small fish, toads, earthworms, frogs, tadpoles, and small rodents. Their diet consists of mostly earth worms. This non-venomous species likes to eat frogs, small fish, and salamanders. 1. 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