Coral Snake vs Scarlet Snake

The quick tellA scarlet snake has a pointed red snout and a plain white belly, and its red blotches do not ring the body. A coral snake has a black snout and full rings.

Photo: Norman.benton, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Eastern coral snake

Dangerous · Micrurus fulvius

Red, yellow and black rings; red rings touch yellow ones
Black snout followed by a wide yellow band
Rings go all the way around the body
Slim, with a small head

Size: 20–30 in. Habitat: Sandy pine woods and hammocks of the Southeast.

Its venom attacks the nervous system and symptoms can take hours to show. Any bite is a medical emergency.

Photo: Andrew Durso, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

Scarlet snake

Harmless · Cemophora coccinea

Red blotches bordered with black on a white or yellow body
Pointed red snout
Plain white belly

Size: 14–20 in. Habitat: Sandy soils of the Southeast; spends most time underground.

Not venomous.

Where each one lives

Eastern coral snake only
Scarlet snake only
Both
Neither

Eastern coral snake: 7 states. Scarlet snake: 12 states. Both live in 7 states.

Side by side

	Eastern coral snake	Scarlet snake
Danger	Dangerous	Harmless
Size	20–30 in	14–20 in
States	7	12
Habitat	Sandy pine woods and hammocks of the Southeast	Sandy soils of the Southeast; spends most time underground

Questions

How can you tell a eastern coral snake from a scarlet snake?

A scarlet snake has a pointed red snout and a plain white belly, and its red blotches do not ring the body. A coral snake has a black snout and full rings.

Which one is dangerous?

The eastern coral snake: dangerous. The scarlet snake: harmless. If you are not sure, keep your distance and do not handle it.

Where do both live?

Both live in 7 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.