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*
Northern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) U *Venomous*
Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) R *Venomous*
Dipsadine Snakes (Subfamily Dipsadinae)
Eastern Wormsnake (Carphophis amoenus) C
Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus) C
Mud Snake (Farancia abacura) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Eastern Mud Snake (Farancia abacura abacura)
Size: 40 - 54 inches Range: Southeastern VA Status: Tier IV |
Rainbow Snake (Farancia erytrogramma) R
© Wayne Fidler
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Eastern Rainbow Snake (Farancia erytrogramma erytrogramma)
Size: 27 - 48 inches Range: Eastern Coastal Plain Status: Tier IV |
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
Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) I
Central Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) C
Cornsnake (Pantherophis guttatus) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 30 - 48 inches Range: Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and northern Coastal Plain Status: Least Concern |
Scarletsnake (Cemophora coccinea) R
© Bobby Fingers
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Northern Scarletsnake (Cemophora coccinea copei)
Size: 14 - 20 inches Range: Rare in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain Status: Tier IV |
Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) R
Eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum) U
© Tristan Clark
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 24 - 36 inches Range: Mountains of the state Status: Least Concern |
"Coastal Plain Milksnake" (Lampropeltis sp.) I
Mole Kingsnake (Lampropeltis rhombomaculata) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 30 - 42 inches Range: Piedmont and Coastal Plain Status: Least Concern |
Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula) R
Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis nigra) R
© Logan Anderson
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 36 - 45 inches Range: Cumberland Plateau Status: Tier III |
Rough Greensnake (Opheodrys aestivus) U
Smooth Greensnake (Opheodrys vernalis) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 12 - 22 inches Range: Northern Valley and Ridge such as Highland, Bath, and Madison Co. Status: Tier III |
Southeastern Crowned Snake (Tantilla coronata) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 12 - 10 inches Range: Southern Piedmont and Coastal Plain Status: Tier IV |
Natricine Snakes (Subfamily Natricinae)
Rough Earthsnake (Haldea striatula) U
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
Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) U
© Bobby Fingers
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Northern Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata)
Size: 8 - 15 inches Range: Statewide, but rare in Southwest VA Status: Least Concern |
Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) C
Eastern Ribbonsnake (Thamnophis saurita) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Eastern Ribbonsnake (Thamnophis saurita saurita)
Size: 18 - 36 inches Range: Statewide Status: Tier IV |
Queensnake (Regina septemvittata) R
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 15 - 26 inches Range: Mountains, but rare in the Piedmont Status: Tier IV |
Glossy Swampsnake (Liodytes rigida) I
© Grover Brown
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: Eastern Glossy Swampsnake (Liodytes rigida rigida)
Size: 14 - 20 inches Range: Limited range in New Kent Co. Status: Tier III |
Plain-bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster) C
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 30 - 48 inches Range: Southern Coastal Plain Status: Least Concern |
Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) C
Brown Watersnake (Nerodia taxispilota) U
© Ty Smith
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 30 - 60 inches Range: Southern Coastal Plain Status: Least Concern |
Asiatic Blindsnakes (Subfamily Asiatyphlopinae)
Brahminy Blindsnake (Indotyphlops braminus) Exotic Transplant
© Josh Vandermeulen
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Recognized Subspecies in VA: None
Size: 4 - 6 inches Range: DWR recognizes a population in New Port News; as well as a well know record from Norfolk International Airport; but could pop-up in greenhouse Status: Introduced |
