Venomous snakes in North Carolina

Venomous snakes living in North Carolina

6species

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

How to recognize them

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

Eastern diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus adamanteus

Dark diamonds with pale yellow edges down the back
Two pale diagonal stripes on each side of the face
Thick body and a rattle on the tail

Eastern coral snake 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

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: 95 counties so far. Blank does not mean absent.

Active months

Open records of venomous snakes in North Carolina by month; most fall in June to July, September to October.

Harmless snakes people mistake for them

Coral Snake vs King Snake Scarlet kingsnake: harmless
Cottonmouth vs Water Snake Water snake: harmless
Coral Snake vs Milk Snake Milk snake: harmless
Copperhead vs Northern Water Snake Northern water snake: harmless
Cottonmouth vs Banded Water Snake Banded water snake: harmless
Copperhead vs Corn Snake Corn snake: harmless
Copperhead vs Rat Snake Rat snake: harmless
Copperhead vs Milk Snake Milk snake: harmless
Cottonmouth vs Brown Water Snake Brown water snake: harmless
Coral Snake vs Scarlet Snake Scarlet 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 North Carolina?

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

Which venomous snakes in North Carolina are dangerous?

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

When are venomous snakes most active in North Carolina?

Most open records fall in June to July, September to October.

Which harmless snakes get mistaken for venomous ones in North Carolina?

Scarlet kingsnake, Water snake, Milk snake and Northern water snake. See the side-by-side comparisons below.