South Carolina snakes: ID chart

Copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix

Venomous

Found throughout our state

Cottonmouth / Water Moccasin

Agkistrodon piscivorus

Venomous

In South Carolina, cottonmouths typically live in the sandhills and coastal plain regions, but do not enter …

Eastern Coral Snake

Micrurus fulvius

Venomous

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Crotalus adamanteus

Venomous

Longleaf pine flatwoods, rolling pine-hills and in maritime grasslands of the lower coast

Pigmy Rattlesnake

Sistrurus miliarius

Venomous

Throughout South Carolina, with the exception of the mountains

Timber (Canebrake) Rattlesnake

Crotalus horridus

Venomous

Found throughout South Carolina

Banded Watersnake

Nerodia fasciata

Non-venomous

In our region, banded watersnakes are restricted to the Coastal Plain, where they are replaced by the closely …

Black Racer

Coluber constrictor

Non-venomous

In Georgia and South Carolina, they are found throughout the Piedmont, Coastal Plain, Blue Ridge, and …

Black Swamp Snake

Seminatrix pygaea

Non-venomous

Black swamp snakes are found in the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States from eastern North …

Brown Snake

Storeria dekayi

Non-venomous

Brown snakes are found throughout the eastern US, but are absent from high elevations in the mountains.

Brown Watersnake

Nerodia taxispilota

Non-venomous

Brown watersnakes are found throughout Georgia and South Carolina with the exception of mountainous regions …

Coachwhip

Masticophis flagellum

Non-venomous

Corn Snake

Elaphe [Pantherophis] guttatus

Non-venomous

Corn snakes range across the southeastern United States, from southern New Jersey, extending south through …

Eastern Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Non-venomous

Eastern Hognose Snake

Heterodon platirhinos

Non-venomous

In the Southeast, they can be found throughout the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and lower Appalachians.

Eastern Kingsnake

Lampropeltis getula

Non-venomous

Eastern Kingsnake (L. getula): Ranges from southern New Jersey south through peninsular Florida, westward …

Eastern Ribbon Snake

Thamnophis sauritus

Non-venomous

In our region, they are found in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, but become progressively more common from …

Glossy Crayfish Snake

Regina rigida

Non-venomous

The glossy crayfish snake is found in the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States from eastern North …

Green Watersnake

Nerodia floridana

Non-venomous

There are two isolated populations, in western and southern South Carolina.

Milk Snake

Lampropeltis triangulum

Not stated

The milk snake occurs throughout or area, but is most commonly seen in mountain forests.

Mole Kingsnake

Lampropeltis calligaster

Non-venomous

Within the Southeast, the Mole Kingsnake is characteristic of the Piedmont, where it is most common, though …

Mud Snake

Farancia abacura

Non-venomous

Eastern mudsnakes occur throughout the southeastern United States, from southeastern Virginia through the …

Northern Watersnake

Nerodia sipedon

Non-venomous

In our region, they are restricted to the Piedmont and mountains.

Pine Snake

Pituophis melanoleucus

Non-venomous

They are found throughout the Coastal Plain of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and throughout …

Pine Woods Snake

Rhadinaea flavilata

Non-venomous

Pine woods snakes are found in scattered populations throughout the Coastal Plain in the southeastern U.S …

Queen Snake

Regina septemvittata

Non-venomous

In our region, this species is common in the mountains and some regions of the Piedmont and its range extends …

Rainbow Snake

Farancia erytrogramma

Non-venomous

Occurs in the Coastal Plain from southern Virginia to eastern Louisiana, absent from the Piedmont and …

Rat Snake

Pantherophis obsoletus alleghaniensis

Non-venomous

Red-bellied Watersnake

Nerodia erythrogaster

Non-venomous

Occurs throughout the Southeast Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont, absent from the Appalachian Mountains and …

Redbellied Snake

Storeria occipitomaculata

Non-venomous

Although the closely-related brown snake (Storeria dekayi) adapts well to suburban habitats, this species is …

Ringneck Snake

Diadophis punctatus

Non-venomous

Ringneck’s distribution ranges across the entire states of South Carolina and Georgia.

Rough Earth Snake

Virginia striatula

Non-venomous

In western portions of this species’ range (Texas) this species can be abundant, but in our region it is …

Rough Green Snake

Opheodrys aestivus

Non-venomous

They are common in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain but are absent from the higher elevations of the mountains.

Scarlet Kingsnake

Lampropeltis elapsoides

Non-venomous

They are widespread in Georgia and South Carolina but are most frequently encountered in the Coastal Plain.

Scarlet Snake

Cemophora coccinea

Non-venomous

Smooth Earth Snake

Virginia valeriae

Non-venomous

This species can be found in scattered locations throughout the eastern and central U.S. and throughout …

Southeastern Crowned Snake

Tantilla coronata

Non-venomous

Southeastern crowned snakes can be found throughout the Coastal Plain from the Florida panhandle north, but …

Southern Hognose Snake

Heterodon simus

Non-venomous

Worm Snake

Carphophis amoenus

Non-venomous

In Georgia and South Carolina, they are common in the Piedmont, Appalachians, and much of the Coastal Plain.