North Carolina snakes: ID chart

Carolina Pygmy Rattlesnake

Sistrurus miliarius miliarius

Venomous

Pigmy rattlesnakes reach a length of 26 inches and occur primarily in the eastern and southeastern coastal …

Copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix

Venomous

They are the most common venomous snake in the state and occur across North Carolina, except for the Outer …

Eastern Coral Snake

Micrurus fulvius

Venomous

These rare snakes are currently located only in the southeastern corner of North Carolina.

Eastern Cottonmouth

Agkistrodon piscivorus

Venomous

The cottonmouth (sometimes called water moccasin) can reach a length of 71 inches and occurs in the coastal …

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Crotalus adamanteus

Venomous

This rare snake occurs only in the southeastern corner of North Carolina.

Timber Rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus

Venomous

Dorsally, the scales are keeled and vary in color across their range.

Banded Water Snake

Nerodia fasciata fasciata

Non-venomous

Banded water snakes can reach lengths of 55 inches and occur in the coastal plain and sandhills of North …

Brown Water Snake

Nerodia taxispilota

Non-venomous

Brown water snakes occur in the coastal plain, southern piedmont, and sandhills.

Carolina (Black) Swamp Snake

Seminatrix pygaea paludis

Non-venomous

Black swamp snakes can reach 19 inches in length and occur in the outer coastal plain from Bodie Island …

Carolina Saltmarsh (Water) Snake

Nerodia sipedon williamengelsi

Non-venomous

In populations on the Outer Banks and near brackish water, individuals have a dark-brown base color with …

Coachwhip

Masticophis flagellum flagellum

Non-venomous

This snake occurs primarily in the southeastern coastal plain and sandhills.

Coastal Plain Milk Snake

Lampropeltis triangulum temporalis

Non-venomous

Corn Snake

Elaphe guttata

Non-venomous

Corn snakes reach 72 inches in length and occur statewide.

Eastern Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

Non-venomous

Eastern garter snakes can reach a length of 42 inches and occur throughout North Carolina.

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake

Heterodon platirhinos

Non-venomous

They occur throughout North Carolina and have highly variable color patterns.

Eastern Kingsnake

Lampropeltis getula

Non-venomous

They occur across most of North Carolina, most commonly in the coastal plain, but are absent from much of the …

Eastern Milk Snake

Lampropeltis triangulum

Non-venomous

Eastern milk snakes can reach a length of 45 inches and occur primarily in the mountains of North Carolina.

Eastern Mudsnake

Farancia abacura abacura

Non-venomous

Mud snakes reach a maximum length of 73 inches and occur in the coastal plain and lower piedmont of North …

Eastern Ribbon Snake

Thamnophis sauritus sauritus

Non-venomous

They are most common in the coastal plain, but also occur throughout much of the piedmont and in portions of …

Eastern Smooth Earth Snake

Virginia valeriae valeriae

Non-venomous

They range throughout much of the piedmont, southern mountains, and coastal plain of North Carolina.

Eastern Worm Snake

Carphophis amoenus amoenus

Non-venomous

Eastern worm snakes occur statewide and typically reach 13 inches in length.

Glossy Crayfish Snake

Regina rigida rigida

Non-venomous

Glossy crayfish snakes can reach lengths of 31 inches and occur in portions of the southern and outer coastal …

Mole Kingsnake

Lampropeltis rhombomaculata

Non-venomous

They occur throughout most of North Carolina except for most of the mountains and the northeastern coastal …

Northern Black Racer

Coluber constrictor constrictor

Non-venomous

Black racers typically reach 66 inches in length and occur statewide.

Northern Brown Snake

Storeria dekayi

Non-venomous

They occur throughout North Carolina except for portions of the mountains.

Northern Pine Snake

Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus

Non-venomous

They occur primarily in the sandhills, but small populations also persist in the extreme southeastern coastal …

Northern Ringneck Snake

Diadophis punctatus edwardsii

Non-venomous

Ring-necked snakes reach 20 inches in length and occur statewide.

Northern Rough Green Snake

Opheodrys aestivus aestivus

Non-venomous

They occur throughout North Carolina except for the higher elevations in the mountains.

Northern Scarlet Snake

Cemophora coccinea copei

Non-venomous

Scarlet snakes occur throughout much of the coastal plain and piedmont of North Carolina, but they are rare …

Northern Water Snake

Nerodia sipedon sipedon

Non-venomous

Northern water snakes can reach a length of 50 inches and occur throughout most of the mountains, piedmont …

Outer Banks Kingsnake

Lampropeltis getula sticticeps

Non-venomous

Pine Woods Snake

Rhadinaea flavilata

Non-venomous

Pine woods snakes can reach 15 inches in length and occur in the southeastern coastal plain, with separate …

Queen Snake

Regina septemvittata

Non-venomous

Queen snakes can reach a length of 34 inches and occur in the piedmont and mountains of North Carolina.

Rainbow Snake

Farancia erytrogramma erytrogramma

Non-venomous

These highly aquatic snakes are active at night and occur primarily along the coastal plain of North Carolina …

Ratsnake

Elaphe obsoleta

Non-venomous

They occur statewide.

Red-bellied Snake

Storeria occipitomaculata

Non-venomous

Red-bellied snakes can reach 12 inches in length and occur throughout North Carolina.

Red-bellied Water Snake

Nerodia erythrogaster

Non-venomous

Red-bellied water snakes can reach 60 inches in length and occur in the eastern half of North Carolina.

Rough Earth Snake

Virginia striatula

Non-venomous

Rough earth snakes reach a length of 13 inches and occur throughout the eastern piedmont and the coastal …

Scarlet Kingsnake

Lampropeltis elapsoides

Non-venomous

It occurs primarily in the coastal plain but also in small populations in the piedmont and mountains.

Southeastern Crowned Snake

Tantilla coronata

Non-venomous

They are most common in the southeastern coastal plain and sandhills, but they also occur over much of the …

Southern Hognose Snake

Heterodon simus

Non-venomous

The southern hognose occurs only in the southeastern portion of the sandhills and coastal plain.