Snakes

Overcome the Fear of Snakes

Some people have such a dread of snakes that they actually avoid going outdoors to fish, hunt, hike, or picnic. Some people even kill every snake they see. This is too bad, both for the people who let the fear of snakes keep them from enjoying nature, and for nature itself. It's relatively easy to avoid direct encounters with snakes, and all snakes, even venomous ones, control populations of rodents and other pests. Getting to know the kinds, natural history and distribution of Missouri's snakes can help you overcome your fear of them and appreciate their role in nature.

Missouri's Wildlife Code Protects Snakes

Few Missourians realize that all snakes native to our state are protected. The Wildlife Code of Missouri treats snakes, lizards, and most turtles as nongame. This means that there is no open season on these animals, and it is technically unlawful to kill them. There is a realistic exception, however: when a venomous snake is in close association with people, which could result in someone being bitten. We hope that more people realize that snakes are interesting, valuable, and, for the most part, harmless.

Snakebites are Rare

Contrary to popular belief, snakes do not go looking for people to bite. In fact, snakes are more afraid of you than you are of them. As Jim Low says in his Snakebytes blog post, you're more likely to be struck by falling space debris than bitten by a snake in Missouri. Read his post to learn more about who gets bitten by snakes, when and why.

Fun to Study, Important to People and Nature

Missouri, with its variety of wildlife habitats, is home to a total of 47 species and subspecies of snakes. The majority (88 percent) of our snakes are harmless.

Snakes are reptiles — a group that also includes lizards, crocodiles, and turtles. Reptiles in general are covered with scales, are the same temperature as their surroundings, and have been around for millions of years. Snakes and lizards are closely related. Snakes are legless, have no external ear opening, and are not slimy. About half of our snakes lay eggs, and half give birth to completely developed young. As they grow, snakes shed their outer skins three to five times a year. All snakes can swim. The internal organs of snakes are elongated, which allows them to fit into the tubular body cavity. Most species have an elongated right lung and no left lung.

All snakes eat other animals and are classified as carnivorous. As noted above, they play an important role in controlling rodent populations, and they also serve as a food source for other wildlife, such as hawks, owls, mink, skunks, and herons. Some snakes even eat other snakes. Kingsnakes, which are immune to the venom of our venomous snakes, will kill and consume them if given the opportunity. Although many of our harmless snakes will bite to defend themselves, usually their bite produces nothing more than simple scratches. Many kinds of snakes, both venomous or nonvenomous, will vibrate their tails when alarmed or threatened.

How to Tell Venomous from Nonvenomous Snakes

Venomous snakes

• All venomous snakes native to Missouri are members of the pit viper family. Pit vipers have a characteristic pit located between the eye and nostril on each side of the head. They also have a pair of well-developed fangs.
• Note the shape of the pupil. The pupils of venomous snakes appear as vertical slits within the iris.
• Our venomous species all have a single row of scales along the underside of the tail.
• Missouri's venomous snakes include the copperhead, cottonmouth, western pygmy rattlesnake, massasauga rattlesnake, and timber rattlesnake. The western diamond-backed rattlesnake and coralsnake are not found in Missouri. The most common venomous snake in Missouri is the copperhead. To our knowledge, there have only been two human deaths attributed to venomous snakes in Missouri: a 1933 timber rattlesnake bite and a 1965 copperhead bite.

Nonvenomous snakes

• Harmless snakes have round pupils and a double row of scales along the undersides of their tails.
• A triangle-shaped head doesn't necessarily mean danger. Although the venomous snakes have a somewhat triangle-shaped head, several harmless species, such as watersnakes, gartersnakes, and hog-nosed snakes, can and do flatten their heads, which can cause them to appear triangular.

Discourage Snakes From Buildings

Although snakes are an interesting and natural part of our outdoors, there may be times and places where their presence is unwanted. Venomous snakes have no place around human dwellings, and even harmless species may cause problems because most people fear them. There are no really effective means of eliminating snakes completely, but it is possible to discourage them around homes by the same method effective for controlling other animal pests — eliminating their food and shelter. Piles of boards, fence posts, dump heaps, slabs of roofing paper, scrap corrugated steel roofing, burlap, slabs of bark, and piles of rocks provide hiding places for snakes and the food they eat. Removing these attractions and generally tidying up are the best ways to keep the premises free of snakes. Inspect foundations, doors, and low windows to make sure there are no openings where snakes might enter. We recommend that any harmless snake encountered be captured with a hoe or stick and released unharmed in an isolated, safe habitat.

Create Snake-Friendly Habitat on Your Land

In general, a diversified, well-managed habitat will support a variety of both game and nongame species of animals. Snakes benefit from the addition of various kinds of shelters, such as brush piles, logs, and rock piles. These shelters will provide security for snakes and may increase the availability of food animals (mice, native rats, lizards, toads, and frogs).

Ponds built near forested areas will also benefit several kinds of snakes and other wildlife as long as the pond is properly maintained. Visit our Reptile and Amphibian Management section for more information about snake-habitat management.

Join a Herpetological Society

If you're interested in conserving Missouri's amphibians and reptiles, you might enjoy being a member of a herpetological society. These nonprofit organizations study amphibians and reptiles, help educate the public about them, and help conserve them and their habitat. See the list of Missouri's herpetological societies under External Links below.

Missouri Snakes

Broad-Banded Watersnake

Nerodia fasciata confluens

A beautiful semiaquatic snake that is named for the broad, irregular shaped bands along the back. These bands can be brown, red-brown, or black and are separated by yellow and gray. This nonvenomous species is restricted to the southeastern corner of the state.

Bullsnake

Pituophis catenifer sayi

Missouri's largest snake may hiss loudly and vibrate its tail when alarmed, but it is nonvenomous. This species is extremely valuable in controlling destructive rodents.

Eastern Coachwhip

Coluber flagellum flagellum

This large, slender, nonvenomous snake usually escapes in an explosive burst of speed. Because it is fast-moving and thrashes about when captured, some people believe coachwhips can whip a person to death. This is a myth--one of many fanciful stories people have invented about snakes!

Eastern Gartersnake

Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

Of the five kinds of gartersnakes in Missouri, this is the most common. Though the color is variable (dark brown, greenish or olive), there are normally three yellowish stripes, one down the back and one on each side.

Eastern Hog-Nosed Snake

Heterodon platirhinos

This harmless snake with an upturned snout has the ability to hiss loudly and spread its neck like a cobra. If this defense fails to ward off an enemy, the snake may thrash around, open its mouth, roll over and play dead.

Eastern Yellow-Bellied Racer

Coluber constrictor flaviventris

Racers prefer bushy fields, grasslands and open woods. This species is active by day and will take shelter under rocks, brush or in animal burrows if pursued. As the name implies, racers can move fast, especially through tall grass or brush. As with many of our harmless snakes, a racer sometimes will vibrate its tail when alarmed.

Flat-Headed Snake

Tantilla gracilus

This small snake is found in the southern half of the state except the far southeastern corner. Its general color is tan, gray-brown or reddish-brown. The head sometimes is slightly darker than the rest of the body or is black, and the belly is salmon pink.

Graham's Crayfish Snake

Regina grahamii

This semiaquatic snake is fairly nondescript. They are brown to yellow-brown with yellowish-tan stripes along the side of the body. Like most other snakes associated with water, Graham's crayfish snakes are often misidentified as western cottonmouths and needlessly killed.

Great Plains Ratsnake

Pantherophis emoryi

This member of the ratsnake group is seldom seen. It has numerous brown blotches along the body, a brown eye stripe and a spearpoint marking on top of the head.

Lined Snake

Tropidoclonion lineatum

This small, secretive snake is fairly easy to identify. It is mainly brown to grayish-brown, with three lighter-colored stripes down the length of its body and a distinctive double row of half-moon-shaped markings along the belly.

Massasauga (Massasauga Rattlesnake)

Sistrurus catenatus

This shy, reclusive, nonaggressive rattlesnake used to live in floodplain wetlands of the Mississippi, Missouri and Grand rivers, but as those wetlands have been drained and destroyed, the massasauga has disappeared with them. Now it is an endangered species.

Midland Brownsnake

Storeria dekayi wrightorum

This small, secretive species prefers moist environments. Its color ranges from gray to brown to reddish brown, and there is usually a tan stripe running down the back, bordered by two rows of small brown spots. The top of the head is usually dark.

Mississippi Green Watersnake

Nerodia cyclopion

This semiaquatic snake was once somewhat common in southeastern Missouri but is now probably extirpated. A heavy-bodied snake, it is greenish-brown with numerous small, obscure brown markings. The belly is dark gray with numerous, yellow half-moon-shaped markings. Watersnakes, although not venomous, do bite viciously to defend themselves and also secret a strong-smelling musk from glands at the base of the tail.

Northern Diamond-Backed Watersnake

Nerodia rhombifer rhombifer

Of the seven types of watersnakes native to Missouri, the diamond-backed is the largest. The overall color may be light brown or dull yellow, with dark brown markings on the sides and back. This species is absent from the Ozarks but common in the southeastern corner and over northern and western Missouri. It does not occur in our extreme northern counties.

Northern Red-Bellied Snake

Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata

One of our smallest snakes, its general color is gray-brown or reddish-brown on top and bright red or orange below. This harmless species is sometimes mistaken for a young copperhead and needlessly killed.

Northern Rough Greensnake

Opheodrys aestivus aestivus

This long, slender snake is common in the Ozarks. It is light green above with a white or yellowish belly, and the scales on the back have small ridges or keels that feel rough to the touch. Its beautiful green color helps this mild-mannered insectivore blend in with the trees that are its home.

Northern Scarletsnake

Cemophora coccinea copei

One of Missouri's most brilliantly colored snakes is extremely rare to find. It is similar in pattern and color to the red milksnake, but instead has a red or orange color snout and a spotless, white belly. It is named for the red or crimson colored blotches along the back.

Northern Watersnake

Nerodia sipedon sipedon

Missouri's most common species of watersnake is gray to reddish-brown, with dark brown crossbands. The belly is cream-colored with numerous black and reddish half-moon markings. Although watersnakes will bite to defend themselves, their bites are harmless.

Orange-Striped Ribbonsnake

Thamnophis proximus proximus

Our subspecies of western ribbonsnake is the orange-striped ribbonsnake, named, naturally, for the attractive orange (or yellowish) stripes running down the length of its body. A member of the gartersnake group, this species is found statewide, but seldom far from water.

Osage Copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster

Copperheads are pit vipers, with an opening on each side of the head and (in daylight) eyes with catlike, vertical pupils (our nonvenomous snakes have round pupils).

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