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Pennsylvania snakes: ID chart

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

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The 3 venomous snakes come first: Eastern Copperhead, Eastern Massasauga, Timber Rattlesnake. The rest follow from A to Z, each with a photo where we have one and a short note on where it lives in Pennsylvania. The chart prints on letter or A4 paper; on screen, open any name on the Pennsylvania 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

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

Timber Rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus

Venomous

Central Ratsnake
Photo: Whitney Mattila · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Central Ratsnake

Pantherophis alleghaniensis

Non-venomous

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

Dekay's Brownsnake

Storeria dekayi

Non-venomous

Eastern Gartersnake
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Eastern Gartersnake

Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

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

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

Eastern Ribbonsnake

Thamnophis saurita

Non-venomous

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

Eastern Smooth Earthsnake

Virginia valeriae valeriae

Non-venomous

Eastern Wormsnake
Photo: Dominic · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Eastern Wormsnake

Carphophis amoenus amoenus

Non-venomous

Kirtland's Snake
Photo: Peter Paplanus from St. Louis, Missouri · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Kirtland's Snake

Clonophis kirtlandii

Non-venomous

In Pennsylvania, Kirtland's snake is limited to the western portion of the state, roughly following the …

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

Mountain Earthsnake

Virginia valeriae pulchra

Non-venomous

Northern Black Racer
Photo: Dilrukshan Priyantha Wijesinghe · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Northern Black Racer

Coluber constrictor constrictor

Non-venomous

Northern Ring-necked Snake
Photo: Sinéad Tuttle-Lerner · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Northern Ring-necked Snake

Diadophis punctatus edwardsii

Non-venomous

Northern Rough Greensnake
Photo: Joshua Liverman · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Northern Rough Greensnake

Opheodrys aestivus

Non-venomous

Northern Watersnake
Photo: Adrienne van den Beemt · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Northern Watersnake

Nerodia sipedon sipedon

Non-venomous

Queensnake
Photo: Rstanton13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized

Queensnake

Regina septemvittata

Non-venomous

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

Red-bellied Snake

Storeria occipitomaculata

Non-venomous

Short-headed Gartersnake
Photo: evangrimes · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist

Short-headed Gartersnake

Thamnophis brachystoma

Non-venomous

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

Smooth Greensnake

Opheodrys vernalis

Non-venomous

A picture cannot confirm what an animal is or that it is safe. Never handle a wild animal. Sources: Pennsylvania Native Reptile and Amphibian Species (PA Species and Endangered Species Act listing status) (Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission); Reptiles and Amphibians FAQs (Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission); Snakes (species accounts) (Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission). stateswildlife.com/pennsylvania/snakes/