Most snakes have round pupils, but a few have long, horizontal pupils which give them excellent binocular vision. While in the more temperate or colder parts of the world, snakes are only active during the warmer months. Pit Vipers are the largest group of venomous snakes. You notice that the nose end has a large scale on it that makes it seem a little cone shaped. Help Us Out - Give Us a Link, a Tweet, or a Share. A few species even live in urban areas. ----- Click Here - Section 18, B - Blotches not present on the dorsum (back) of body. To use it you only have to observe the color and characteristics of the scales on the back and on the belly of the snake. Therefore, in the parts of the world where it is warm throughout the year, like in the tropics and subtropics, snakes can be seen anytime of the year. They can grow up to nine feet in length, with most averaging in the five to six foot category. Scales: What texture are the scales, rough or smooth? Your choice will lead you to the next appropriate pair of questions. A - If Remember, snakes do not have eyelids, so it's hard to tell the difference between a dead snake and one that is just sleeping. The dark blotches on a brown body are the best field identification clues. Always assume it's alive, and keep a safe distance. Snakes are everywhere in Alabama from the Gulf Coast to the mountains in North Alabama. Snakes are beautiful animals, with amazing forms, colors and behaviors. -------- Click Here - Section 8. Knowledge is Power - Grow Your Wilderness Skills! ----- Click Here - Section 22. B - Dorsum (back) with longitudinal stripes of red and black, or dorsum black with When you run out of choices the Quick I.D. Join the free Alderleaf eNewsletter: The Six Keys to Survival:Get a free copy of our survival mini-guide and monthly tips! The pattern and coloration of the eastern hognose snake can vary greatly. Now, you pull out your field guide you brought along to help you identify snakes. Try to determine which of the two choices better fits your snake, and then go on to the next screen. Have a snake photo? Because of the venomous bites, their presence in any specific area usually gets well documented. includes hissing loudly, spreading of the neck to appear larger and playing dead. Rat Snakes. ReptileKnowledge.com has launched a snake identification service. To date this snake has This Quick I.D. 70 Yellow. The Alderleaf Wilderness Certification Program. Also, invest in a good local field guide for your region. They represent a small proportion of the country’s approximately 250 total snake species and subspecies. A black teardrop line drops from the center of each eye, while a second brownish line tapers down from the back of the eye at a 4 degree angle. Identifying snakes from a safe distance is the ideal way to do it. Willson. Georgia snakes also includes three subspecies of the basic eastern Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta). Indigo snakes (genus Drymarchon) often get ranked as the largest coulbrids. But it all starts with you sending us a quality photo of the animal in question. supralabials 3 and 4 then the snake is a Northern Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi dekayi). They are about a foot in length and normally a solid bronze or copper color. That makes for difficult species identification. ** Note: Often the harmless Northern Watersnake and Brown Watersnake are mistaken for the venomous Northern Cottonmouth. We will then post the picture to the "photo wall" for your particular state (if inside the U.S.), or your country (if outside the U.S.). Snakes are members of the class of animals known as reptiles (Reptilia), and are further divided into the order Squamata – which includes lizards, and are in the suborder Serpentes. Eastern Glossy Swampsnake (Liodytes rigida rigida). We spend several hours per week looking at photos, replying to emails, and adding new snake photos to the website. Fortunately, the majority of snakes present in the United States are neither poisonous nor venomous. Try to determine which of the two choices better fits your snake, and then go on to the next screen. All snakes are carnivorous and swallow their prey whole. Snakes kill their prey in several different ways. This simplified key is an aid to the identification of the snakes of Florida for use by laymen with no technical training in herpetology. Many snakes vary greatly … B follow the options through the pages. A - If You get excited and try getting closer. yellowish spots; venter (belly) bordered along each side with black the snake is a Northern Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata). Here is a quick look at most of Florida's snakes by pattern: How to use this site: You can use the drop-down menus for harmless and venomous species, and then select a species from there. Moving from the largest of the colubrid snakes to the smallest colubrids also keys in on the Eastern United States. is a way to learn what kind of snake it is that you have. A blackish-brown crescent is present between the eyes. Maybe it was a pile of rocks, or under a log on the South side of the stream and up on the raised stream bank. Here is a list of some of the best ones to use: Body Type: Is the body type slim and long, medium thickness and long, or short and stout? Design: HTML5 UP. Do not assume they are dead just because they are motionless. ----- Click Here - Section 26, B - Mid-body scale rows greater than or equal to 19. Here’s a half dozen snake species as examples, starting with the three Storeria species: Dekay’s Brownsake, first picture, might pass for a common garden snake in most areas of the east. Some snake species also live in rural areas around fields, pastures and buildings. That's what you get out of it. This simplified key is an aid to the identification of the snakes of Florida for use by laymen with no technical training in herpetology. Scales: The scales looked keeled on the back and progressively less keeled onto the sides. It’s also the only member of the genus. Identifying the types of snakes people come into contact with in the United States starts by presenting some formal information about snakes. may help you. Patterns: What kinds of patterns does the snake have? Think about the state you are in, the nearest town, the nearest major landmark such as a valley, mountain range, river, etc. The head shows a characteristic copper color. Unlike this serpent, the rattlesnake species has eyes with vertical pupils, a rattle at the end of its tail and heat-sensitive pits in its face, one on each side, between the nostrils and eyes. A - If preocular scale not present; loreal scale elongated and touching the orbit the snake is a Rough Earthsnake(Haldea striatula). Most snakes in the yard are not poisonous and they would prefer flight to fight in any instance where they come into contact with the pets and kids. The picture highlights the snake’s characteristic ring neck mark. Others have dark or light markings organized into stripes, spots, blotches or some other pattern. Tail: Its tail tapers to a point covered in black blotches. Other snakes use constriction, and squeeze their prey until it stops breathing. Unless you're an experienced reptile handler, just leave them alone! There are some more faded brownish marks and black spots on the head. Let's break it down into the key field marks and see if you can use your knowledge of how to identify snakes. The presence of rear fangs and a very mild venom sometimes qualifies a few Colurbridae species such as Lyre snakes as venomous snakes. the dorsum (back) has chest-nut brown blotches bordered in black; pattern on the Well, with 120 species found in North America, North of Mexico it can be a challenge. Snakes grow throughout their lifespan, but growth tends to slow down after they reach adulthood. B. Rostral scale rounded ----- Click Here - Section 5, A - Keeled scaled on dorsum (back) ----- Click Here - Section 6, B - Dorsal scales smooth ----Click Here - Section 20. A - Blotches present on the dorsum (back) of body. While copperheads and even the occasional rattlesnake may be in the area, experts say majority of the snakes in the area are harmless. Many snakes provide an important service keeping … Common Snakes in South Carolina . Snakes are found in a wide variety of habitats, ranging from forests, woodlands, fields, meadows, mountains, prairies, riparian areas, wetlands, swamps and many other natural habitats. Yes, I want the survival guide and free tips. On each of the screens that follow you will see a pair of choices. You know this is pretty unusual, as you have seen snakes before and never had one act this way. As already mentioned, some people immediately associate poisonous snakes, or venomous snakes with the snake world. *Note: The Northern Pinesnake is extremely rare in Virginia. You don't want to risk handling the animal yet, especially since you need some help to identifying snakes in this area. B - One or two preocular scales present; loreal, if present, not elongated. the dorsum (back) is black with narrow yellow to white crossbands or with small 66 White. You can also click on each title (harmless species, venomous species, patterned, solid, and striped) and get a full list of all species that fall under that category. If we successfully identify the species, we will add it to the "photo wall" for your geographical area. It is important to identify snakes that belong to the venomous group. and overlaps lower jaw then the snake is a Northern Scarlet Snake (Cemophora coccinea copei). 68 Other. Anal scale: Some species can be distinguished by looking at the scale that covers their cloaca (an opening used both for getting rid of waste and during reproduction). Greensnakes can be either rough keeled or smooth keeled. B - If the dorsum (back) is black, some individuals may have faint outlines of black The book mentions that these snakes sometimes behave in a way that makes them seem much more dangerous, by flattening out their heads, puffing up their bodies and vibrating the end of their tails rapidly. Join the free Alderleaf eNewsletter for instant access. Glass lizards (genus Ophisaurus), have no legs and are often confused with snakes, so before using this Key make sure the reptile you have is a snake. They can secrete a foul smelling chemical. B - Dorsal scales on head enlarged, no rattle ----- Click Here - Section 3. For general identification purposes and for personal safety reasons, most people only need know that a rattlesnake can be identified by the rattle at the end of the tail. The picture shows a brown watersnake. There are also some good regionally based resources online to help you identify snakes: References: Storm & Leonard 1995, Stebbins 1966, St. John 2002 and Behler 1979. may help you. may be complete or broken at the dorsal midline then the snake is a Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus). with faded dark smudges then the snake is a Mole Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster rhombomaculata). Many people reading this article will no doubt show more curiosity than squeamishness at the presence of a snake. They are insectivores who consume a good deal of grasshoppers and other insect pests. There are 38 snake species in South Carolina, only six of which are venomous. By following that lead you will be able to learn more about your snake. Northern copperheads are found statewide. Identifying snakes from a safe distance is the ideal way to do it. All rights reserved.