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Iowa snakes: ID chart

28 snakes, 5 venomous (listed first). Last checked November 3, 2026.

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The 5 venomous snakes come first: Eastern Copperhead, Eastern Massasauga, Prairie Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake, Western Massasauga. The rest follow from A to Z, each with a photo where we have one and a short note on where it lives in Iowa. The chart prints on letter or A4 paper; on screen, open any name on the Iowa snakes page for photos, range and sources.

Eastern Copperhead
Photo: USFWSmidwest · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Eastern Copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix

Venomous

Eastern Massasauga
Photo: User:Rstanton13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Eastern Massasauga

Sistrurus catenatus

Venomous

Prairie Rattlesnake
Photo: Cecelia Alexander · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist

Prairie Rattlesnake

Crotalus viridis

Venomous

Timber Rattlesnake
Photo: NPS Photo · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Timber Rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus

Venomous

Eastern and southern Iowa (DNR); localized forested areas (ISU)

Western Massasauga
Photo: NPS photo · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Western Massasauga

Sistrurus tergeminus

Venomous

Common Gartersnake
Photo: kclarksdnhmorg · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Common Gartersnake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Non-venomous

Common Watersnake
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Common Watersnake

Nerodia sipedon

Non-venomous

Dekay’s Brownsnake
Photo: Judy Gallagher · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Dekay’s Brownsnake

Storeria dekayi

Non-venomous

Diamond-backed Watersnake
Photo: Peter Paplanus from St. Louis, Missouri · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Diamond-backed Watersnake

Nerodia rhombifer

Non-venomous

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
Photo: Joshua Liverman · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake

Heterodon platirhinos

Non-venomous

Eastern Milksnake
Photo: Tom Norton · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Eastern Milksnake

Lampropeltis triangulum

Non-venomous

Gophersnake
Photo: National Park Service from USA · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Gophersnake

Pituophis catenifer

Non-venomous

Graham's Crayfish Snake
Photo: Chad Wallis · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Graham's Crayfish Snake

Regina grahamii

Non-venomous

Lined Snake
Photo: Peter Paplanus from St. Louis, Missouri · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lined Snake

Tropidoclonion lineatum

Non-venomous

North American Racer
Photo: Everglades NPS from Homestead, Florida, United States · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

North American Racer

Coluber constrictor

Non-venomous

Plain-bellied Watersnake
Photo: Peter Paplanus · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Plain-bellied Watersnake

Nerodia erythrogaster

Non-venomous

Plains Gartersnake
Photo: Photo Credit: Krista Lundgren/USFWS USFWS Mountain-Prairie · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Plains Gartersnake

Thamnophis radix

Non-venomous

Prairie Kingsnake
Photo: Peter Paplanus · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Prairie Kingsnake

Lampropeltis calligaster

Non-venomous

Red-bellied Snake
Photo: Rstanton13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Red-bellied Snake

Storeria occipitomaculata

Non-venomous

Ring-necked Snake
Photo: Peter Paplanus from St. Louis, Missouri · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Ring-necked Snake

Diadophis punctatus

Non-venomous

Smooth Earthsnake
Photo: Stanton · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Smooth Earthsnake

Virginia valeriae

Non-venomous

Smooth Greensnake
Photo: User:Rstanton13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Smooth Greensnake

Opheodrys vernalis

Non-venomous

Speckled Kingsnake
Photo: Paul Roots · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Speckled Kingsnake

Lampropeltis holbrooki

Non-venomous

Western Foxsnake
Photo: Jonathan Bayer · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Western Foxsnake

Pantherophis ramspotti

Non-venomous

Western Hog-nosed Snake
Photo: Dean Hester · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Western Hog-nosed Snake

Heterodon nasicus

Non-venomous

Western Ratsnake
Photo: Chrissy McClarren and Andy Reago · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist

Western Ratsnake

Pantherophis obsoletus

Non-venomous

Western Ribbonsnake
Photo: Sam Kieschnick · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Western Ribbonsnake

Thamnophis proximus

Non-venomous

Western Wormsnake
Photo: Peter Paplanus · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Western Wormsnake

Carphophis vermis

Non-venomous

A picture cannot confirm what an animal is or that it is safe. Never handle a wild animal. Sources: Iowa Wildlife Action Plan (2025 revision) - All Appendices (Appendix 3 amphibians, 4 reptiles, 5-6 birds, 7 mammals, 11 bumble bees, 16 T&E) (Iowa DNR); 6 Cool Things You Should Know About Snakes (news release) (Iowa DNR). stateswildlife.com/iowa/snakes/