Snakes (Suborder Serpentes)
Welcome to our Snake Guide! Believe it or not, we have 32 native species of snakes in Virginia, yet only three have venom that is dangerous to humans. How well do you know your local serpents?
Frequency Rating: Ratings are based on how common each species is across their range within Virginia. Some common species may be incredibly abundant within their small range, while some may be common in most of their range but rare in a small portion of their range. Some rarer species may be abundant in pockets of their range, but are overall rare.
Common = C Uncommon = U Rare = R Incredibly Rare = I
Frequency Rating: Ratings are based on how common each species is across their range within Virginia. Some common species may be incredibly abundant within their small range, while some may be common in most of their range but rare in a small portion of their range. Some rarer species may be abundant in pockets of their range, but are overall rare.
Common = C Uncommon = U Rare = R Incredibly Rare = I
Pit Vipers (Subfamily Crotalinae)
Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) C *Venomous*
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 28 - 44 inches Range: Statewide Status: Least Concern |
Northern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) U *Venomous*
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 30 - 48 inches Range: Southern Coastal Plain Status: Least Concern |
Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) R *Venomous*
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 30 - 60 inches Range: Mountains of Virginia; Canebrake variation is found in Southern Coastal Plain Status: Mountain variation is Tier IV | Canebrake variation is Tier II |
Dipsadine Snakes (Subfamily Dipsadinae)
Eastern Wormsnake (Carphophis amoenus) C
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Eastern Wormsnake (Carphophis amoenus amoenus) | Midwestern Wormsnake (Carphophis amoenus helenae)
Size: 7.5 - 11 inches Range: Eastern subspecies is found statewide; Midwestern subspecies found only in Lee Co. Status: Least Concern |
Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus) C
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Northern Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii) | Southern Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus punctatus)
Size: 10 - 16 inches Range: Statewide Status: Least Concern |
Mud Snake (Farancia abacura) R
Rainbow Snake (Farancia erytrogramma) R
Eastern Hognose (Heterodon platirhinos) R
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 20 - 33 inches Range: Statewide Status: Tier IV |
Colubrine Snakes (Subfamily Colubrinae)
North American Racer (Coluber constrictor) C
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Northern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor)
Size: 36 - 60 inches Range: Statewide Status: Least Concern |
Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) I
© Bobby Fingers
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Northern Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus)
Size: 48 - 66 inches Range: Areas in and around Craig and Bath Co. Status: Tier I | Possibly extirpated from VA |
Central Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) C
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 42 - 78 inches Range: Statewide Status: Least Concern |
Cornsnake (Pantherophis guttatus) R
Scarletsnake (Cemophora coccinea) R
Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) R
© Bobby Fingers
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 14 - 22 inches Range: Southern Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Coastal Plain Status: Tier III |
Eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum) U
"Coastal Plain Milksnake" (Lampropeltis sp.) I
© Bobby Fingers
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: N/A
Size: Probably 24 - 36 inches Range: Coastal Plain and Eastern Shore Status: Unknown |
Mole Kingsnake (Lampropeltis rhombomaculata) U
Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 32 - 60 inches Range: Piedmont, Coastal Plain, and northern Blue Ridge Status: Least Concern |
Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis nigra) R
Rough Greensnake (Opheodrys aestivus) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 20 - 33 inches Range: Statewide Status: Least Concern |
Smooth Greensnake (Opheodrys vernalis) U
Southeastern Crowned Snake (Tantilla coronata) R
Natricine Snakes (Subfamily Natricinae)
Rough Earthsnake (Haldea striatula) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 7 - 11 inches Range: Coastal Plain and slightly into the eastern Piedmont Status: Least Concern |
Smooth Earthsnake (Virginia valeriae) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Eastern Earthsnake (Virginia valeriae valeriae) | Mountain Earthsnake (Virginia valeriae pulchra)
Size: 8 - 15 inches Range: Statewide, but rare in southern Blue Ridge | Mountain subspecies is found in Highland Co. Status: Least Concern |
Dekay's Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi) C
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 8 - 15 inches Range: Statewide, but rare in Southwest VA Status: Least Concern |
Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) U
Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) C
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Eastern Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis)
Size: 18 - 28 inches Range: Statewide, but rare on the Eastern Shore Status: Least Concern |
Eastern Ribbonsnake (Thamnophis saurita) U
Queensnake (Regina septemvittata) R
Glossy Swampsnake (Liodytes rigida) I
Plain-bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster) C
Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) C
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon)
Size: 24 - 42 inches Range: Statewide Status: Least Concern |