Homeowner’s Field Guide to Good & Bad Garden Snakes

For people with ophidiophobia, all snakes should be avoided at all costs. For the rest of us who don’t have a phobia of snakes, many of these reptiles pose no threat at all. They are harmless animals that are looking for food and shelter.

When you live in Alabama (or anywhere in the South for that matter) snakes are abundant. But how do you tell the good ones from the bad ones?

Our pest exterminators come across all sorts of critters while providing pest control treatments. They’ve gotten very good at quickly figuring out which snakes pose a threat and which ones can be left alone. Here’s a breakdown of common Alabama snakes and which group they fall into.

Docile Garden Snakes

There are 36 non-venomous snakes in Alabama. Yes, that’s a lot of snakes, which is why it’s common to come across them during the summer. The characteristics of most non-venomous snakes include:

• Round, small heads
• Round eyes
• Two rows of scales on their bellies

Non-venomous snakes also tend to be slender rather than thick. A few species of snakes, like the Scarlet King Snake, resemble the venomous Coral Snake (see below), which is the only skinny harmful snake. However, an easy way to tell them apart is by the bands of color on their body. Non-venomous snakes have red and black bands that touch.

Some of the most common non-venomous snakes in Alabama include:

• Black Kingsnake
• Brownsnake
• Diamond-backed Water Snake
• Eastern Smooth Earthsnake
• Florida Green Water Snake
• Gray Ratsnake
• Midland Water Snake
• Mississippi Green Water Snake
• Northern Scarlet Snake
• Plain-bellied Water Snake
• Southern Water Snake
• Worm Snake

Dangerous Garden Snakes

The majority (5 of 6) venomous snakes that slither across Alabama are in the pit viper family. They are easily recognizable by four distinct features:

• Triangular shaped head
• Slanted, cat-like eyes
• A hole (pit) that looks like a nostril on either side between their eyes and mouth
• Single band of scales on the underside

Rattlesnakes

There are three types of rattlesnakes that call Alabama home. They are the:

• Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake – This is the most well known member of the rattlesnake family, and can be recognized by the diamond-shaped pattern on their back. This beast can grow to 8’ long and eats a variety of animals large and small. They are typically found in dry areas of southern Alabama.
• Pygmy Rattlesnake – The Pygmy Rattlesnake is the little brother of the Diamondback. They grow to just 30” in length and feed on small animals and amphibians. They don’t go near people much of the time, and their rattle can be hard to hear if they are nearby. They tend to come out in late summer and have been found all over the state.
• Timber Rattlesnake – As the name suggests, the Timber Rattlesnake is typically found in the woods across most of Alabama. At 7’ long it is a large-bodied snake with a tan and black body that fades to entirely black at the tail.

Copperheads

Copperheads live in a wide variety of environments, but they are typically found in areas outside of southern Alabama. They have beautiful, intricate patterns and the coloration can range from light tan to dark brown. At a maximum of 4’ in length, the Copperhead is a medium-sized snake.

Cottonmouth

If you think you’re safe from snakes out on the water then you might be surprised by the Cottonmouth, also commonly called a Water Moccasin. They are all over Alabama, but the largest populations are concentrated around the coast. Cottonmouths are fat bodied and can get up to 5’ long. Young Cottonmouths are tan with brown bands, but as they age the coloration can morph into a dark, almost black grey. If you live near an aquatic habitat you’ll need to watch out for the Cottonmouth.

Coral Snakes

Coral Snakes are extremely unassuming. Unlike the pit vipers above they have a round head and round eyes. They are also small and slender. But their bite can be deadly. The easy identifier for these snakes is the red and yellow colored bands that sit side-by-side.

The safest thing to do is to leave any snake you see alone, even if you think it’s non-venomous. There are a few endangered species as well as snakes that are on the threatened list (Eastern Indigo). If it appears to be a venomous snake, call the local animal control immediate so they can remove the snake from the area.

Original Source:  https://www.vulcantermite.com/garden-pest-control/homeowners-field-guide-to-good-bad-garden-snakes