Venomous snakes in Arkansas

Venomous snakes living in Arkansas

6species, plus 2 with rare records

Western diamondback rattlesnake, Cottonmouth, Timber rattlesnake, Texas coral snake, Copperhead, Pygmy rattlesnake. A bite from any of these is a medical emergency.

How to recognize them

Western diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus atrox

Gray to tan with dusty diamond blotches
Black and white bands of equal width just before the rattle
Two pale stripes on the face

Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus

Heavy, dark olive to black body; bands fade with age
Broad flat head with a dark stripe through the eye
Swims with the whole body high on the water

Timber rattlesnake Crotalus horridus

Dark V- or chevron-shaped bands across the back
Black tail ending in a rattle
Yellow, tan or dark phases; some are almost black

Texas coral snake Micrurus tener

Red, yellow and black rings; red touches yellow
Black snout
Red rings often have black speckles

Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix

Copper to tan body with dark hourglass bands: wide on the sides, narrow on the spine
Plain coppery head with no pattern
Young snakes have a bright yellow-green tail tip

Pygmy rattlesnake Sistrurus miliarius

Small with a thin tail and a tiny rattle that sounds like a buzzing insect
Gray or tan with dark round blotches
Often a reddish stripe down the spine

Every venomous snake species known from the US is on this site.

Counties with records

None recorded
1 species
2
3 to 4
5 or more

Venomous snakes with open GBIF records, by county: 53 counties so far. Blank does not mean absent.

Active months

Open records of venomous snakes in Arkansas by month; most fall in April to July.

Rare records

Rare records Eastern diamondback rattlesnake 3 open records
Rare records Eastern coral snake 4 open records

Harmless snakes people mistake for them

Cottonmouth vs Water Snake Water snake: harmless
Copperhead vs Northern Water Snake Northern water snake: harmless
Cottonmouth vs Banded Water Snake Banded water snake: harmless
Copperhead vs Rat Snake Rat snake: harmless
Copperhead vs Milk Snake Milk snake: harmless
Cottonmouth vs Diamondback Water Snake Diamondback water snake: harmless
Pygmy Rattlesnake vs Hognose Snake Eastern hognose snake: harmless
Copperhead vs Hognose Snake Eastern hognose snake: harmless

Quick answers

Questions

How many venomous snakes are in Arkansas?

6 species live in the state: Western diamondback rattlesnake, Cottonmouth, Timber rattlesnake, Texas coral snake, Copperhead and Pygmy rattlesnake.

Which venomous snakes in Arkansas are dangerous?

Western diamondback rattlesnake, Cottonmouth, Timber rattlesnake, Texas coral snake, Copperhead and Pygmy rattlesnake: a bite is a medical emergency.

When are venomous snakes most active in Arkansas?

Most open records fall in April to July.

Which harmless snakes get mistaken for venomous ones in Arkansas?

Water snake, Northern water snake, Banded water snake and Rat snake. See the side-by-side comparisons below.