This snake is found in southeastern Missouri and in the northern Mississippi River floodplain. This snake appears very similar to the Rough Green Snake, but it has smooth scales instead of keeled scales. Earthsnakes include the genera Haldea and Virginia and are found exclusively in the eastern and southeastern United States. By Douglas Mills CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/dmills727/186928351/in/photolist-hw4hB-hw4qn-DsRJLZ-bAVPH3-c1tezo-sNRAf5-nwEE8M-nNRzwP-9oJhJp-nwEE6T-51YLED-Uj5Gw-TYTsT-2vpWZj-22WPEpC-21USN4b-5Riqq2-9Emy1u-YRmfZ1-8MmQUx-CHGYh-RPHdDt-8RNB1Z-CHGYg-8Cxf1P-8Cxffe-UATjp-4sCFhL-aBLYhm-CHGYj-CHGYm-tXEp6-CyTUf-4SszT7-ZrZCPN-9Emybu-Fmjqt-o5mcJC-a2Sajv-6ezrvc-6yoDm1-7PfYUX-J98nX7-HRTv8-21RR6R-nPV2bi-o76fMK-nPUik5-nPUjby-nPUgfV/. Snakes reproduce sexually and approximately half of Missouri’s snakes lay eggs, rather than giving birth to live young. The head is generally small and absent of pattern. Statewide. The blotches do not extend to the ventral scales. The Western Fox Snake is yellow, green-brown, or tan with brown blotches and some orange coloring on its head. On land, snakes will use resistance points such as rocks or sticks to propel themselves forward. Its diet consists mainly of toads, but it also eats frogs and salamanders. All five of Missouri’s venomous snakes are pit vipers, meaning they all have a deep pit between the eye and nostril on both sides of the head. Its tail ends in a sharp point. They range from 51-76 cm in length with a very slender body. This snake grows between 36 and 48 inches. By The original uploader was BillC at English Wikipedia. Western ratsnakes eat a variety of rodents, small rabbits, bats, bird eggs, small birds, and, on occasion, lizards. Scientific name: Nerodia erythrogaster. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Females have more blotches than males. They also eat lizards, rodents, and birds. They live in the southeastern swamps of Missouri. They also have a pair of well-developed fangs. Most of the snakes in Missouri are also found in varying concentrations in the surrounding states but some stretch to areas even further away. Its belly is yellow with a black checkered pattern. They primarily eat fish and amphibians, but can also eat small reptiles and rodents. This species has brown dorsal scales and a red belly. By Peter Paplanus CC BY 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/2ndpeter/27656451262/in/photolist-wufwu5-J8UxqA-QUMANE-4VFDD1-c2zcBA-c2zbGJ-c2zbZy-c2zbbf-4KBtCw-aSQbTx-aSQbL4-9S2tpE-EBWxw-56GuMb-4KBtFS-UAThx-7ZVaet-cHn6JN-9Y1Adf-9XXG3n-9Y1AeS-9XXG1P-QBTiZ-9XXG5v. They are usually found in rocky hillsides or around abandoned buildings. The third king of Missouri doesn’t share the same title of office as the others but is kingly nonetheless. The Great Plains Rat Snake has brown blotches and distinctive facial markings. These snakes have smooth scales and an undivided cloacal. This species is active in early April through early November. As a self defense mechanism, water snakes will emit a strong-smelling musk from the cloaca glands at the base of the tail. This snake is found in a wide variety of habitats across eastern Missouri. It grows between 30-45 inches. It has keeled scales and an undivided cloacal. The Eastern Coachwhip is dark brown on its front half with a tan body and belly. These snakes can be found all over the state, but some are more common in certain areas. Some can be speckled or checkered or have different colored stripes. The western ratsnake was long known as the black rat snake, and many know it simply as "black snake.". These snakes differ from Eastern Hog-nosed Snakes because of their snouts, which are upturned, and the black coloration on the underside of their tails. By Peter Paplanus – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/2ndpeter/27232938000. The Western Milksnake is white or cream color with black-edged red or orange rings found on the unkeeled (smooth) dorsal scales. Western ratsnakes are excellent climbers and often bask in trees. While eating, the snake can extend its glottis out the side of its mouth, so that it can continue breathing while digesting large prey. A small piece of cartilage in the glottis vibrates when the breath is expelled, which produces the snake’s hiss. Like its name implies, this snake has a dark black or brown mark on the head that extends and stops at the neck. By Don Becker – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32700947. The Eastern Hog-nosed Snake is grey-brown with dark brown markings on its back and a grey belly. In Missouri, snakes normally breed in the spring, soon after they emerge from winter dormancy. Venomous or Not? Its belly is yellow with dark spots along the sides. Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1529601. Rainbow Snakes have red lines down the body. They are 76-122 cm long. Its habitat includes woodlands, rocky hills, and riverbeds. This snake has a greenish belly with black and yellow stripes down its back. Aquatic snakes prefer this method because the water pushes back against the snake’s motion and propels it forward. Some populations of these snakes retain dark blotches from birth, some lose the blotched pattern over time. They are distinct in color with black or dark brown dorsal scales and a light-yellow belly, almost looking like an individual was split in half. Generally shiny black, but some individuals show dark brown blotches. It ranges in length from 37 to 72 inches. Behind the snake’s tongue, they have a small opening called the glottis, which leads to the trachea. Snakes of Missouri. It is 22 to 32 inches in length. The pliability of snake skin and flexibility of the jaw allows for the easy passage of food through the length of the body. The Albino Garter Snake is a genetic color morph that occasionally appears in … This snake is found in southeastern, northern, and western Missouri, but is not found in the Ozarks. Its belly is white with a black checkered pattern. Diet includes earthworm, insect larvae, and insect eggs. Their habitats are varied but many have been found in grasslands and rocky soils. The Northern Water Snake and its subspecies, the Midland Water Snake, is found throughout all of Missouri. Yellow-bellied Water Snake. Finally, I filmed black rat snakes as they emerged from leathery eggs. As young they look completely different from their adult counterpart. By Psyon – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45087640. After a year or two of growth, the color normally changes to a more uniform black. They have generally small heads, 19 scale rows, keeled scales and a divided cloacal. Diet includes rodents, birds, and birds’ eggs. This snake is harmless, but can hiss loudly and spread its neck like a cobra. Albino Garter Snake. Similar species: The closely related gray ratsnake (P. spiloides) occurs in southeast Missouri and hybridizes with the western ratsnake there. Snakes are able to detect low frequency sounds that aid in detecting motion and waves traveling through solid ground. This snake is tan or grey with dark brown or grey blotches. Their diet consists of mice, insects, lizards, snakes, and birds. The anatomy of snakes’ respiratory system is interesting. Lives in rocky, wooded hillsides, near rivers, or near farms. It is 46-66 cm in length. It lives in grassy meadows in northern Missouri, but is endangered due to habitat destruction. This snake is very reclusive, taking shelter under rocks or logs in marshes or along streams. Its belly is dark grey with yellow markings. The Speckled Kingsnake is black with a white or yellow spot on most scales. We facilitate and provide opportunity for all citizens to use, enjoy, and learn about these resources. These chambers handle excretions and reproduction. They are found in very moist environments such as streams, ditches, or lakes. Species of North American Brownsnakes include genus Storeria and can be found across North and Central American from Canada to Honduras. This species has well defined nape spots and black areas on the side scales and head. The layer that is shed is called the epidermis, whereas the developed layer underneath is the dermis. It eats lizards, other snakes, and small rodents. The portion of the right lung closest to the head does most of the respiration, whereas the portion closest to the tail functions more like an air sac. Briggler, Jeff, and Tom R Johnson. Live in grasslands, brushy areas, prairies, fields, and open woodlands. It lives under rocks and logs in rocky, wooded hillsides. In addition to these red markings, a lighter middorsal and lateral stripes run down the length of the body. Some Western Ratsnakes are solid black in color, but others can be grey, brown, or slightly yellow with black, brown, or grey blotches on the dorsal scales. Eggs hatch in autumn. Young western ratsnakes eat frogs, lizards, and insects. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016. Grow between 30 and 50 inches. The eastern indigo snake is a massive, black snake. It is the longest snake native to the United States, ranging in size from 60-84 inches and is entirely shiny bluish-black color, including the belly. Eastern Coachwhips live in rocky, wooded hillsides and prairies. They take shelter in brushpiles, hollow trees, farm buildings, and old houses where mice are plenty. By Don Becker – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40879938. If you see a venomous snake, leave it… The Red-Sided Gartersnake can be found from central Canada to Oklahoma, including the northwest corner of Missouri. Young are light gray or tan, with distinct dark brown or black blotches on the back and sides; a black band passes between the eyes and angles down toward the mouth. They grow to be very long, averaging 42-60 inches. About half of Missouri’s snake species lay eggs; the rest give birth to fully developed young. Long, thin shaped head. Its diet consists of worms, amphibians, and minnows. North American and Desert Ratsnakes include the genera Pantherophis and Bogertophis. This species is grey to dark brown with 30 or fewer brown or black dorsal bands with tail markings shaped as rings. This snake has a yellow strip down its back with black spots and bars on its back. and can be found in the eastern and central United States. Lives mainly in wooded hillsides. It is 56-107 cm in length. Their scales are keeled, cloacal divided and absent loreals. The head is generally black. Snakes breathe similarly to mammals by contraction of muscles to allow the passage of air into the abdomen. Prairie kingsnakes are light-brown with dark-brown saddles running the length of the body. These snakes reduce damage to crops and stored grain by rodents without the use of deadly poisons. This snake grows between 36-54 inches. In 1994, the Department added a 160 acre tract a short distance south of the original purchase. It ranges in length from 18 to 26 inches. They live in loose, sandy soil in prairies and feed on toads, snakes, lizard eggs, and small rodents. By Peter Paplanus- Own Work, CC BY 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/2ndpeter/48848367298/in/photolist-2hqyDKh-27YyCKJ-YJ38sn-cETfDm-2g72rEn-24Z1HQ7-67iYxf-utJK8m-rJDP3e-Z6hF6E-ihLjKP-6LTRCe-J7PsFF-p5hnUn-ekEbk9-8Aunmd-26BC7U9-6VmVCv-4JgX52-6yjiXF-aeRUEL-4JmaM5-6Vm1zg-eJsorU-56GuKC-sJWHMP-oqqNu-nFLUuD-7u1KMR. The belly is mottled They have three very distinct yellow or orange colored stripes running down the length of the black body. Missouri's venomous snakes include the copperhead, cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, massasauga rattlesnake, and timber rattlesnake. The United States is home to about 50 species of snakes with 47 of those species being found in Missouri. As a predator, this snake helps keep populations of other animals, especially rodents, in check. It is also smaller than the Rough Green Snake, averaging 14-20 inches in length. By Jeromi Hefner – Flickr: Graham’s Crawfish Snake (Regina grahamii), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29704043. Typically yellowish or light tan background with brown or even reddish saddles down the back. The air sac of the snake located near the tail functions as an air sac but does not contract in the same way as a lung. They can be found in a large variety of habitats including meadows, marches, alongside streams, and even in more residential or developed city areas. Powell, Robert, et al. The western diamond-backed rattlesnake and coralsnake are not found in Missouri. The belly has small black spots. Several snakes resemble the coral snake, which is not venomous. This snake is tan, brown, or reddish-brown with a dark head and a pinkish belly. We protect and manage the fish, forest, and wildlife of the state. Diet includes worms, slugs, insects, and small salamanders. Underbelly is grey and black. This far outweighs the occasional theft of a few hens' eggs or baby chickens. By Andrew DuBois CC-BY-NC 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/138578145@N04/31539155335/in/photolist-24r4YKS-Q41q5g-QcjqLy-P21upB-Qfz8L2-Qfz9e6-QfzaW4-P21veT-Qcjqiu-Qcjssu-P21vGr-P21w6T-4st6d3-hw4rj-2hzrBZo-2hzup2G-6efYKS-hw4vX-2bU4aoH-MscJBF-21hiXzQ-R6Zh3c-i5bBPk-oyQKQ1-nyxP2h-2dbedqj-maaqbh-maamfm-afXhrC-ma9sLt-maanv7-2h61DLm-ma8Md2-ma8KxP-2h5Y77j-2h5ZTFg-2h5Y7et-2h61DqX-2h61Ed8-2h5Y7XN-2h61E4W-2h61DYk-oyQKJ9-c8qdaA-c8qd3U-8CAmPf-ejaWVh-nyxNYS-ejaWUo-97gDfk. The Black Racer tens to wooded areas such as forested areas, thickets, brushes, open fields, and gardens found around suburban homes. Its diet consists of lizards, small snakes, and mice. Similar species: The closely related gray Bullsnake or Gopher Snake Pituophis melanoleuca Often mistaken for rattlesnakes, will even shake it's tail when threatened, although it does not have rattles. The tail has a harmless spike that allows it to move through soil. Only about 725 species of snakes in total are venomous, and most do not attack humans but use their fatal bite to feed on prey sich as rodents, reptiles, birds, fish, or other smaller animals. Its belly is white to light yellow with black and red markings. These snakes have smooth scales and an undivided cloacal. “Snake Gastrointestinal Tract Anatomy.” Reptiles Magazine. Kingsnakes and Milksnakes have a large geographical range in North America, ranging from Canada to Montana to Ecuador. – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2663201. Myth #2:They mate with copperheads. Size. The Black Racer Snake and it’s Habitat. Prey is killed by constriction. Its diet consists mainly of crayfish, and it spends the winter in crayfish burrows. That’s not true. Missouri Department of Conservation The copperhead snake is one of four venomous snakes found in the Tri-Lakes Area. They are immune to the venom of copperheads, cottonmouths, and rattlesnakes. This snake has a shiny black back with a red, pink, and orange belly. Colubridae (nonvenomous snakes) in the order Squamata (lizards and snakes), Black Snake, Black Rat Snake, Black Ratsnake, Texas Ratsnake. The ventral scales are uncolored and lighter than dorsal scales. Missouri’s herptiles comprise 43 amphibians and 75 reptiles. The Plains Garter Snake lives in wooded areas near water, feeding on small frogs and minnows. – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26070126. (One helpful way to remember this – “Red and yellow, kill a fellow, red and black, friend, of Jack.”!) Grows between 7 and 11 inches. This snake is greenish-grey with a yellow belly. The ventral scales are usually solid in color and lighter than the dorsal scales. There also may be a pale middorsal stripe running the length of the individual. There are three other methods that snakes use to move: serpentine, caterpillar, and concertina. They can be found in moist environments including swamps, marshes, parks, or beneath trash. Snakes are reptiles in the Linnaean taxonomy that include over 3,600 species distributed on every continent besides Antartica. One defining characteristic of these types of snakes is that their cross section is shaped like a loaf of bread in which the flat belly meets the sides of the snake at a distinct angle. Required fields are marked *. The glottis is always closed in a vertical slit, except for when the snake takes a breath. Snakes use their upper and lower teeth to grasp food, venomous snakes use their distinct fangs as well. The Red Milk Snake is white with red or orange markings with black borders. California. It lives under rocks in moist soil, typically on wooded hillsides. All species have keeled scales and bear live young. This snake ranges from 24 to 42 inches in length. Only someone who has dealt with a mouse or rat problem can truly appreciate this natural, nonvenomous hunter of rodents. They are 46-71 cm in length. They are found in open areas like prairies or parks. Elaphe obsoleta Local Name: black snake This is one of our largest common snakes. There is some evidence that this species is being replaced by the gray ratsnake in our Bootheel counties. Teeth are not necessarily used to mechanically break down food, since snakes swallow their prey whole and use the contraction of their muscles in the body to mechanically break down food instead of “chewing” as humans are used to. They range in size from 23-33 cm. Grows between 14 and 20 inches. Western Ratsnakes can range from solid colors to a variety of colored patterns. Missouri Department of Conservation, agrilifecdn.tamu.edu/fisheries/files/2013/10/Snakes-of-Missouri.pdf. The upper lip, chin, and lower part of the neck are usually white. It eats soft-bodied insects like grasshoppers and crickets and is found in the southern half of Missouri. The Northern Red-Bellied Snake can be found from the eastern coast of Canada southwest to the eastern edge of Oklahoma, including much of central Missouri. Missouri’s largest venomous snake, the timber rattlesnake, is dangerously venomous, but there are few cases of rattlesnake bites in our state. Some populations of these snakes retain dark blotches from birth, some lose the blotched pattern over time. The western diamond-backed rattlesnake and coralsnake are not found in Missouri. It eats centipedes and insect larvae and is found in most of the southern half of Missouri. The gray ratsnake's adult coloration resembles the juvenile pattern of western ratsnakes: gray with dark blotches on back and sides, with a dark band passing through the eyes and angling down toward the mouth. They are 20-25 cm in length. This species was long known as the black rat snake, and many know it simply as "black snake." When sidewinding, a snake will contract its muscles to hurl its body through the air, moving laterally and maintaining only two points of contact with the ground. They are a light grey or brown color with a pointed head. Kingsnakes can eat other snakes, including venomous species. Egg-laying species give birth to young that develop a special egg tooth that grows at the tip of its face. Snake species can range in size from 4.1 inches to 17.1 feet. Color varies—olive, brown, blue with a yellow or cream-colored underside. It may intergrade (hybridize) with the gray ratsnake (Pantherophis spiloides) in the southeastern corner. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. They are found statewide in Missouri and live in wooded, rocky hillsides and cedar glades. This snake has a shiny black back with a red, pink, and orange belly. The Orange-Striped Ribbonsnake can be found from Iowa to Louisiana and eastern Texas, including most parts of Missouri. Because it looks speckled, it is commonly referred to as the salt and pepper snake. The snake may be greenish, black, olive or dark brown. Western ratsnakes live in a wide variety of habitats: rocky, wooded hillsides, wooded areas along streams and rivers (especially in former prairie and savanna areas of the state), and in or near farm buildings. Harmless snakes have round pupils. … This species of Brownsnake can be a light-yellow brown, grey, dark brown, or reddish brown. Like all snakes, these snakes are shy and prefer to be left alone; but if they feel threatened will become aggressive in their attempt to defend themselves. Excellent rodent feeder, very beneficial snake in rural communities. The species is grey or tan with a whitish or yellow middorsal stripe and two lateral stripes. The Plains Blackhead snake also has a fairly pointed head, which helps with burrowing underground. Venomous snakes in Missouri can be distinguished in three ways: Pupil shape The pupil is the black part in the center of the eye. Know more about it here.Thereof, are black snakes in Missouri poisonous? Racers will occasionally vibrate their tails if alarmed. Water snakes are viviparous, meaning they give birth to live young. This species can be unicolor, slightly patterned, or have a very distinct pattern. Strong muscles lining the body walls allow for the slow digestion of pret and the expansion of the body to allow the passage of food. Venomous snakes in California: Colorado Desert Sidewinder. These pits serve as infrared-detecting organs, allowing them to detect prey. These snakes grown between 21 and 28 inches. Once food has passed through the gastrointestinal system it is excreted through the cloaca. About Reptiles and Amphibians in Missouri. It ranges from grey or brown to orange and red with dark bands. By Douglas Mills CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/dmills727/25699001033/in/photolist-gEWMoT-gEWe3x-4dBRF-4Zj6zT-F9W6EH-6Vq6v9-Q2kVgs-9xHme8-X2Yms1-2dZe33V-4Zj6gk-y2pKx7-hw4gF-4Zojew-2fiudQC-FW2FX9-sR7jFX-cPFsLo-2hwAMep-2hwx2bB-2hwzJa4-29aFoNB-24GrzXL-24GrzW3-LJUjNg. It grows between 24 and 36 inches long. This species is black, brown, or olive in color with distinct red or orange bars on the sides. The belly is white, mottled with gray, or it may be checkered with black. Most species have yellow longitudinal stripes. By Andrew DuBois CC BY-NC 2.9 https://www.flickr.com/photos/138578145@N04/47766239751/in/photolist-nL6HHg-qDyoin-rAmPTg-22WPaib-2fLWsVM-8EriTZ/. This common snake is tan, brown-grey, or green-grey with dark blotches on its back and sides and a yellow-tan belly with dark markings. Most of the snakes found in Missouri are harmless, and actually very good for the environment (they keep the rodent population down), but there are five species which are poisonous. It has three yellow stripes and yellow belly. They have a divided cloacal.