Common LowCountry Snakes

Snakes are a group of reptiles that have no legs, ear openings, or eyelids. The glass lizard is a species of legless lizard that resembles a snake; unlike a snake, it does have ear openings and eyelids. These are the most common Lowcountry species. IIf a species does not fit into these categories, please visit the herpetology page of the Savannah River Ecology Lab for further identification help.

1. Does it have a triangle-shaped head and a compatively slender neck? Click here.

2. Does it have an oval head that appears to be an extension of the neck? Click here.

Pit Vipers

3. Does it have a rattle? Click here.

4. Does it have a copper color and hourglass-shaped bands? Copperhead

5. Does it have a dark color and a thick build? Cottonmouth/Water Moccasin

Rattlesnakes

6. Does it have a series of diamond-shaped markings on its back? Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

7. Does it have a series of horizontal stripes on its back, usually with a brown band down the middle? Canebrake/Timber Rattlesnake

Snakes Continued

8. Does it have a series of black, red, and yellow rings? Click here.

9. If it does not have a series of black, red, and yellow rings, click here.

Coral Snakes and Mimics

10. Does it have a black nose, and do the yellow rings touch the red rings? Coral snake.

11. Does it have a red nose, and do the black rings seperate the yellow rings from the red rings? Click here.

Coral Snake Mimics

12. Do the rings encircle the body? Scarlet Kingsnake

13. Do the rings not encircle the body? Scarlet Snake

Non-venomous Snakes

14. Is it noticeably long, slender, and fast-moving? Click here

15. Does it have a turned-up, spade-shaped nose? Click here

16. If it doesn't have these two traits, click here.

Racers and Coachwhips

17. Is it black with some white under the chin? Black racer

18. Does it begin black at the head and gradually turn brown towards the tail? Coachwhip

Hognose Snakes

19. Are there patterns under the tail and is the nose sharply turned up? Southern hognose

20. Are there no patterns under the tail and is the nose not dramatically turned up? Eastern hognose

Non-venomous Snakes

21. Does it have bright colors? Click here.

22. Does it have vertical stripes along the length of the body? Click here.

23. Is it brown and found in or near water? Click here

Colorful Snakes

24. Is it bright green? Rough green snake

25. Is it red and orange above with black and white below? Corn snake

Vertically Striped Snakes

26. Does it have three yellow stripes on a dark background? Garter snake

27. Does it have four dark stripes on an olive-yellow background? Yellow rat snake

Water Snakes

28. Does it have bands or blotches? Click here

29. Does it have a red belly? Redbelly Watersnake

Banded or Blotched Water Snakes

28. Are the bands square-shaped? Brown Watersnake

29. Are the bands longer than squres? Banded Watersnake