Central Florida's Snakes   

 

map indicating Central Florida as the region south of Alachua County and north of Lake OkeechobeeOf Florida's 46 native species of snakes, 35 are found in the Central Florida region shown in blue on this map, including four of the six venomous species--Timber Rattlesnakes and Copperheads are only found in North Florida. Only one non-native species, the tiny Brahminy Blindsnake, is found in Central Florida. Be sure to check the range map for each species, because some species listed here may only be found in part of Central Florida.

Snake species are grouped by their most obvious markings--diamonds, blotches, rings or crossbands, lengthwise stripes, or mostly solid color without obvious markings (solid-colored snakes may have speckles, darker heads, etc., and are grouped by color) Some species will be listed in multiple groups due to pattern variations within the species or between juveniles and adults. Venomous species are listed first in each group, followed by look-alikes, and non-native species are listed last. To find out more about the snakes found in Central Florida, click on the snake species names in the list below. Click on an icon below to jump to snakes with that pattern, or simply scroll down to browse all species. Printed, water-resistant  copies of this guide are also available so you can carry it with you anywhere--get the "Identification Guide to the Snakes of Florida."

Diamonds Blotches Bands Stripes Solid
icon for diamond-marked snakes icon for blotched snakes icon for banded snakes icon for striped snakes icon for solid-colored snakes

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Diamond-marked Snakes

icon for diamond-marked snakes illustration of diamond markings on snake scales

thumbnail photo of snake  Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake
(Crotalus adamanteus)

VENOMOUS

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Blotched Snakes

icon for blotched snakes illustration of blotched markings on snake scales

thumbnail photo of snake  Pygmy Rattlesnake
(Sistrurus miliarius)

VENOMOUS
thumbnail photo of snake  Black Racer or Blacksnake
(Coluber constrictor)

LOOK-ALIKE: Mistaken for Pygmy Rattlesnake
thumbnail photo of snake  Common Gartersnake
(Thamnophis sirtalis)
thumbnail photo of snake  Red Cornsnake or Red Ratsnake
(Pantherophis guttatus)
thumbnail photo of snake  Eastern, Yellow, or Everglades Ratsnake
(Pantherophis alleghaniensis)
thumbnail photo of snake  Brown Watersnake
(Nerodia taxispilota)
thumbnail photo of snake  Pinesnake
(Pituophis melanoleucus)
thumbnail photo of snake  Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
(Heterodon platirhinos)
thumbnail photo of snake  Southern Hog-nosed Snake
(Heterodon simus)
thumbnail photo of snake Mole Kingsnake
(Lampropeltis calligaster)
thumbnail photo of snake Short-tailed Snake
(Lampropeltis extenuata)

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Banded Snakes

icon for banded snakes illustration of banded markings on snake scales

thumbnail photo of snake Cottonmouth or Water Moccasin
(Agkistrodon piscivorous)

VENOMOUS
thumbnail photo of snake Southern or Banded Watersnake
(Nerodia fasciata)

LOOK-ALIKE: Mistaken for Cottonmouth
thumbnail photo of snake Coralsnake
(Micrurus fulvius)

VENOMOUS
thumbnail photo of snake Scarlet Kingsnake
(Lampropeltis elapsoides)

LOOK-ALIKE: Mistaken for Coralsnake
thumbnail photo of snake Scarletsnake
(Cemophora coccinea)

LOOK-ALIKE: Mistaken for Coralsnake
thumbnail photo of snake  Common Kingsnake
(Lampropeltis getula)

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Striped Snakes

icon for striped snakes illustration of striped markings on snake scales

thumbnail photo of snake  Eastern Ribbonsnake
(Thamnophis sauritus)
thumbnail photo of snake Common Gartersnake
(Thamnophis sirtalis)
thumbnail photo of snake Eastern, Yellow, or Everglades Ratsnake
(Pantherophis alleghaniensis)
thumbnail photo of snake  Striped Crayfish Snake
(Regina alleni)
thumbnail photo of snake Saltmarsh Watersnake
(Nerodia clarkii)
thumbnail photo of snake  Rainbow Snake
(Farancia erytrogramma)

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Solid-colored Snakes

icon for solid-colored snakes illustration of solid-colored snake scales

thumbnail photo of snake Cottonmouth or Water Moccasin
(Agkistrodon piscivorous)

VENOMOUS
thumbnail photo of snake  Black Racer or Blacksnake
(Coluber constrictor)
thumbnail photo of snake  Ring-necked Snake
(Diadophis punctatus)
thumbnail photo of snake  Red-bellied Mudsnake
(Farancia abacura)
thumbnail photo of snake  Black Swampsnake
(Seminatrix pygaea)
thumbnail photo of snake  Eastern Indigo Snake
(Drymarchon couperi)
thumbnail photo of snake  Coachwhip
(Coluber flagellum)
thumbnail photo of snake  Florida Green Watersnake
(Nerodia floridana)
thumbnail photo of snake  Saltmarsh Watersnake
(Nerodia clarkii)
thumbnail photo of snake Glossy Crayfish Snake
(Regina rigida)
thumbnail photo of snake  Florida Brownsnake
(Storeria victa)
thumbnail photo of snake  Red-bellied Snake
(Storeria occipitomaculata)
thumbnail photo of snake  Florida Crowned Snake
(Tantilla relicta)
thumbnail photo of snake  Pine Woods Littersnake or Yellow-lipped Snake
(Rhadinea flavilata)
thumbnail photo of snake  Smooth Earthsnake
(Virginia valeriae)
thumbnail photo of snake Rough Greensnake
(Opheodrys aestivus)
thumbnail photo of snake  Brahminy Blindsnake
(Ramphotyphlops braminus)

NON-NATIVE

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