Snakes in Mississippi: 44 Types and How to Identify Them

Mississippi’s snakes follow a wet, wooded state. Delta sloughs, loess bluffs, pine hills, blackwater streams, bottomland hardwoods, old fields, and coastal marshes all change which species are likely.

The state has the familiar Southeast venomous group, copperheads, cottonmouths, coral snakes, and rattlesnakes, alongside a much larger set of watersnakes, ratsnakes, kingsnakes, racers, hognoses, and gartersnakes.

Some species are large and conspicuous along roads or field edges. Others are small soil, streamside, or leaf-litter snakes that usually appear after rain, yard work, or a flipped log.

Venomous snakes in Mississippi

Mississippi’s venomous species include copperheads, cottonmouths, coral snakes, and rattlesnakes. Habitat does a lot of the sorting before pattern does: ridge woods, pine hills, bottomlands, and coastal plain are not the same ID setting.

1. Eastern Copperhead

Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) is the leaf-litter pit viper most people picture when they hear “copperhead.” It has a stout body, a warm coppery head, and hourglass crossbands that pinch tight across the spine. On dry oak leaves, that pattern can nearly disappear.

Look for it along hardwood slopes, wooded ravines, rocky edges, and brushy field borders. Young copperheads have a yellow-tipped tail, while adults rely more on stillness and camouflage. A heavy, banded snake lying quietly in leaf litter needs a closer ID than color alone.

2. Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake

Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) is the heavyweight rattlesnake of the southeastern Coastal Plain. Adults are usually 2-5 feet, with a broad head, thick body, and dark diamonds outlined in pale scales down the back.

The Mississippi animals are most strongly tied to sandy pine country, longleaf remnants, palmetto thickets, and grassy openings near cover. Size, the diamond pattern, and a real rattle separate it from patterned ratsnakes or kingsnakes before you are close.

3. Northern Cottonmouth

Northern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) is a thick wetland pit viper with a blocky head and a darker, heavier look than most watersnakes. Adults often run 30-48 inches. When defensive, it may open the pale white mouth that gives the snake its name.

Swamps, cypress sloughs, ponds, marshes, and river edges are the usual settings. Dark watersnakes can look bulky, but cottonmouths tend to have a heavier front half, a distinct head, and slower, less panicky movement at the waterline.

4. Pygmy Rattlesnake

Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius) is a compact rattlesnake, usually 15-30 inches, with dark dorsal blotches, a chunky build, and a tiny rattle that may sound more like an insect than a warning buzz. Many look spotted rather than banded.

Pine flatwoods, mixed woods, grassy openings, rocky margins, and damp low cover all fit this species. The short tail rattle, stout body, and tidy row of dark spots are better clues than size, since young ratsnakes and watersnakes can also be small and patterned.

5. Timber Rattlesnake

Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) is a large, heavy pit viper with dark chevrons or crossbands and a dark tail. Adults usually run 2-5 feet, and the body looks thick all the way through, not whip-like or climber-slim.

Mature hardwoods, pine slopes, wooded ravines, rocky ridges, and quiet brushy edges are good places for this snake. The dark tail, heavy head, and angled crossbands separate it from black racers, ratsnakes, and kingsnakes that may share the same woods.

6. Harlequin Coralsnake

Harlequin Coralsnake (Micrurus fulvius) is a secretive coral snake with red, yellow or cream, and black rings around a small, smooth body. Adults are usually 20-30 inches and spend far more time under leaf litter than moving in the open.

Sandy pine flatwoods, brushy hammocks, loose soil, and deep litter in the southern Coastal Plain are the best context. Complete rings, a small head, and a blunt-looking tail help, but range and habitat matter because scarlet kingsnakes and scarletsnakes can trigger the same quick color comparison.

Nonvenomous snakes in Mississippi

Most Mississippi snakes are nonvenomous. Some are bold constrictors, some are aquatic hunters, and some are tiny soil or leaf-litter snakes that people notice only after rain or yard work.

Racers, kingsnakes, ratsnakes, and other large hunters

7. Central Ratsnake

Central Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) is a long, nonvenomous climber built for trees, rafters, and rough edges rather than bulk. Adults often reach 3-7 feet. Young snakes are more strongly patterned, while older ones can look darker and cleaner.

Woodlots, farms, barns, sheds, pine-oak edges, and field borders are classic places to find one. A ratsnake may freeze, climb, or kink its body when alarmed, which can make a harmless climber look more dramatic than it is.

8. Common Coachwhip

Common Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum) is a long, lean daytime hunter with large eyes and a tail that tapers like braided cord. Adults often measure 3-7 feet, but the slim body makes the snake read as speed more than size.

Open, sunny ground is the pattern: sandy pine uplands, dry woods, old fields, roadsides, scrub, and thin grass near cover. If the snake races away before you can settle on a pattern, the movement itself is part of the ID.

9. Common Scarletsnake

Common Scarletsnake (Cemophora coccinea) is a small, glossy, nonvenomous snake with red blotches bordered in black on a pale body. It has a pointed snout and spends much of its life nosing through loose soil and leaf litter.

Pine-oak woods, sandy patches, rotting logs, bark slabs, and loose ground cover are better places to find it than open lawns. Its colors invite coral snake comparisons, but the scarletsnake has blotches rather than complete body rings and usually stays low and hidden.

10. Eastern Black Kingsnake

Eastern Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis nigra) is a glossy dark constrictor with pale specks, broken bands, or chainlike marks scattered through the body. Adults are often 1-4 feet, with smooth scales and a sturdy ground snake build.

Woodland edges, farms, old buildings, brush piles, and pine-oak cover suit it well. Compared with a ratsnake, a black kingsnake looks stockier and more ground-hugging, and the shine of the scales is usually obvious in good light.

11. Eastern Indigo Snake

Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi) is a huge glossy blue-black snake of the southeastern longleaf pine landscape. Adults often reach 3-7 feet, and some show a warm reddish wash on the chin or throat.

Possible indigos should be treated as a range-and-habitat ID first. Sandy uplands, open pine woods, longleaf remnants, and gopher-tortoise or mammal burrow country are the right setting. The smooth sheen and calm, heavy movement help separate it from racers and dark ratsnakes.

12. Eastern Milksnake

Eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum) is a smooth constrictor with reddish or brown blotches on a gray to tan background. Adults are often 1-4 feet, and the pattern can look crisp on young snakes and duller on older ones.

Rocky wooded edges, north-state hills, farm borders, barns, and loose cover are the most useful context. It overlaps in style with cornsnakes and other kingsnakes, so the smooth scales, blotched back, and cooler upland setting all matter.

13. Eastern Pinesnake

Eastern Pinesnake (Pituophis melanoleucus) is a large pale snake with dark blotches and a muscular, burrowing build. Adults often reach 3-7 feet. The head and neck look built for pushing through loose sand and soil.

Dry pine woods, open pine savannas, sandy uplands, and old pocket-gopher or rodent burrows are the right setting. When cornered, a pinesnake may hiss loudly and bluff, but the pale blotched body and burrow habitat are the important field marks.

14. North American Racer

North American Racer (Coluber constrictor) is a slim, big-eyed daytime snake that relies on speed. Adults often reach 3-7 feet, with a long tapering tail and a sleeker outline than ratsnakes, kingsnakes, or hognoses.

Sunny field edges, roadsides, open woods, old fields, grasslands, and brushy rights-of-way are good racer country. A snake that vanishes as a quick black or gray streak, head held alert and body kept low, belongs high on the racer list.

15. Northern Mole Kingsnake

Northern Mole Kingsnake (Lampropeltis rhombomaculata) is a smooth-scaled constrictor with muted reddish or brown blotches that often fade as the snake ages. Adults are often 1-4 feet and spend much of their time under cover or in loose soil.

Fields, pastures, farms, woodland borders, and brushy old homesites are more likely than deep swamp. It lacks the high-gloss black look of some kingsnakes, so the subdued pattern, hidden habits, and dry edge habitat do much of the ID work.

16. Northern Rough Greensnake

Northern Rough Greensnake (Opheodrys aestivus) looks almost exactly like a living vine: bright green above, pale below, and thin from head to tail. Adults are often 1-4 feet, but they are so slender that length can be hard to judge.

Shrubs, vines, blackberry tangles, brushy stream edges, wet meadow borders, and low vegetation with plenty of insects all fit. A green snake moving through branches is much more likely this species than a ground-hunting racer or ratsnake.

17. Prairie Kingsnake

Prairie Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster) is a brown or gray constrictor with darker blotches and smooth scales. Adults are often 1-4 feet, and many look plainer than the bold black-and-white kingsnake image people expect.

Open fields, prairie remnants, farm edges, pastures, and brushy borders are good fits. The strong body, muted blotches, and ground-hunting style help separate it from slimmer racers and climbing ratsnakes.

18. Red Cornsnake

Red Cornsnake (Pantherophis guttatus) is a slender patterned climber with orange, red, or brown blotches on a paler background. Adults are often 1-4 feet, though color can swing from bright coppery orange to duller brown.

Barns, wooded edges, pine-oak forest, sheds, fencerows, and other rodent-rich edges are classic settings. Compared with a milksnake, a cornsnake often looks longer and more climber-built, with a busy pattern that continues onto the sides.

19. Scarlet Kingsnake

Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) is a small glossy tricolored kingsnake with red, black, and pale bands or saddles. Adults are often 1-4 feet, but many field sightings involve a compact snake under cover.

Pine-oak woods, sandy soil, leaf litter, rotten logs, and old building edges are the usual backdrop. The bright pattern raises coral snake questions, but this kingsnake is nonvenomous and is most often found as a small hidden woodland snake.

20. Southeastern Crowned Snake

Southeastern Crowned Snake (Tantilla coronata) is a tiny leaf-litter snake with a tan or brown body and a darker cap across the head. Adults usually measure 7-16 inches, so many sightings happen only when someone moves a log, flowerpot, or pile of leaves.

Dry woodland edges, pine-hardwood leaf litter, loose soil, compost, and rotting logs are good places for it. The dark crown is the mark to catch quickly before the snake slips back into cover.

21. Speckled Kingsnake

Speckled Kingsnake (Lampropeltis holbrooki) is a glossy dark constrictor sprinkled with pale yellow or white speckles, one on many individual scales. Adults are often 1-4 feet, with a strong body and smooth shine.

Field edges, farms, woodlots, bottomlands, brush piles, and old buildings near cover all suit it. The salt-and-pepper pattern is the giveaway when the snake is too dark to call a banded kingsnake.

Small woodland snakes, hognoses, and secretive hunters

22. Common Wormsnake

Common Wormsnake (Carphophis amoenus) is a small, glossy burrower with a wormlike body and a pointed-looking tail. Adults usually measure 7-16 inches and are more often uncovered under logs, stones, or damp leaves than seen moving in the open.

Moist hardwood edges, loose soil, compost, shaded gardens, and rotting logs fit better than sunny roadsides. The smooth brown back can hide the pinkish belly until the snake curls or turns.

23. Eastern Hog-nosed Snake

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon platirhinos) is a stout toad hunter with an upturned snout and a famous bluffing routine. Adults are often 1-4 feet and may flatten the neck, hiss, roll over, or play dead when alarmed.

Sandy soils, pine woods, open woodlands, old fields, and toad-rich edges are the strongest settings. Color varies widely, from plain dark snakes to bold blotched ones, so the shovel-like snout matters more than the shade of the body.

24. Pine Woods Littersnake

Pine Woods Littersnake (Rhadinaea flavilata) is a small, secretive pine-woods snake, not a young racer or ratsnake. Look for a slender brownish body, a dark eye stripe, and pale yellowish lips when the view is close enough.

Pine flatwoods, open pine savannas, dry uplands, deep needle litter, and logs around burrows are its world. Most encounters are quick, low to the ground, and easy to overlook unless you are already looking through pine litter.

25. Rainbow Snake

Rainbow Snake (Farancia erytrogramma) is a glossy black wetland snake with red or pink striping and vivid belly color. Adults can be several feet long, and the polished dark back over a red-marked underside is hard to forget when seen well.

Cypress sloughs, marshes, sluggish streams, river edges, and swampy lowlands are the right places to think about this eel-eating snake. Many people live near suitable water and never see one because it spends so much time hidden.

26. Red-bellied Mudsnake

Red-bellied Mudsnake (Farancia abacura) is a glossy black wetland snake with red or pink bars across the belly and lower sides. Adults can be substantial, with a smooth dark back that hides the brighter color until the snake turns.

Swamps, marshes, cypress sloughs, muddy ponds, and river backwaters are the best match. Like the rainbow snake, it is secretive and strongly aquatic, often noticed after heavy rain or near shallow water with amphibian prey.

27. Ring-necked Snake

Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus) is a small dark snake with a pale neck ring and a yellow to orange belly. Adults usually measure 10-24 inches, but they often look smaller when coiled tightly under cover.

Damp leaf litter, loose soil, rotting logs, compost piles, and shaded woodland edges are the usual places to find one. The neck ring can be faint, so the bright underside, small size, and moist cover are all useful.

28. Southern Hog-nosed Snake

Southern Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon simus) is a sandy-soil hognose with an upturned snout and a shorter, stockier look than many racers or ratsnakes. Adults are often 1-4 feet, though many are modest-sized.

Dry pine woods, open sandy fields, longleaf remnants, and toad-rich edges are the right setting. It may flatten its neck or bluff like the eastern hognose, but the smaller head, sandy habitat, and local range make this a more specialized ID.

Watersnakes, gartersnakes, ribbonsnakes, and wetland species

29. Common Gartersnake

Common Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is a striped, medium-sized snake with a slim build and a taste for damp edges. Adults usually measure 18-48 inches, with a central stripe and side stripes that can be crisp or muted.

Wet meadows, pond margins, stream edges, grassy yards, and backyard cover are all plausible. It is one of the striped snakes to compare before calling every slender wet-edge snake a ribbonsnake.

30. Common Watersnake

Common Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) is a nonvenomous Nerodia with a sturdy body, round pupils, and no rattle or facial pit. Adults usually measure 18-48 inches, and dark individuals can look heavy enough to start a cottonmouth debate.

Ponds, rivers, sloughs, marsh edges, and sunny banks are the normal scene. Banded young snakes may look sharper than older adults, so body shape, head posture, and behavior near water are safer clues than one dark photo.

31. Dekay’s Brownsnake

Dekay’s Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi) is a small brown or gray snake of yards, gardens, and damp edges. Adults usually measure 7-16 inches and often show a faint pale stripe or paired dark spots down the back.

Mulch beds, boards, compost, damp leaf litter, shaded garden edges, and rotting logs are classic hiding places. The plain-brown look is normal for the species; size, fine patterning, and habitat do most of the work.

32. Diamond-backed Watersnake

Diamond-backed Watersnake (Nerodia rhombifer) is a big nonvenomous watersnake with a netlike diamond pattern along the back. Adults usually measure 18-48 inches, with a thick body that often gets mistaken for a cottonmouth.

Large rivers, bayous, oxbows, ponds, cypress sloughs, marshes, and low floodplain wetlands are the right setting. It often basks on branches over water; round pupils, no facial pit, and the diamond net pattern keep the ID grounded.

33. Eastern Ribbonsnake

Eastern Ribbonsnake (Thamnophis saurita) is a slender striped snake with a long tail and a narrow, alert look. Adults usually measure 18-48 inches, but the body stays thin even when the snake is long.

Wet meadows, pond margins, stream edges, grassy ditches, and backyard cover near water are good places to compare one. Next to a gartersnake, an eastern ribbonsnake usually looks slimmer, longer tailed, and more tied to the immediate waterline.

34. Glossy Swampsnake

Glossy Swampsnake (Liodytes rigida) is a dark, shiny wetland snake that stays close to slow water and dense cover. Adults usually measure 18-48 inches, but the gloss, small head, and swamp setting are better clues than length.

Cypress sloughs, marshes, ponds, floodplain swamps, and quiet ditches are the right setting. A brief look at only the head or back can make it seem like another watersnake, so habitat and the smooth dark body matter.

35. Graham’s Crawfish Snake

Graham’s Crawfish Snake (Regina grahamii) is a plain brownish wetland snake closely associated with crayfish and their muddy banks. Adults are often 1-4 feet, with a quiet pattern that makes habitat especially important.

Marsh edges, wet ditches, muddy ponds, floodplain wetlands, and crawfish-burrow country are the right clues. A snake cruising the waterline for soft-shelled crayfish fits this species better than a similar-looking snake far up on dry ground.

36. Mississippi Green Watersnake

Mississippi Green Watersnake (Nerodia cyclopion) is a heavy Nerodia with an olive, greenish, or dark brown look and a plainer wetland pattern than many banded watersnakes. Adults usually measure 18-48 inches.

Big, quiet water is the center of the ID: cypress swamps, marshes, ponds, sloughs, and slow river edges. Round pupils, no facial pit, and a heavy watersnake build help separate it from cottonmouths in the same habitat.

37. Plain-bellied Watersnake

Plain-bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster) is a sturdy nonvenomous watersnake with a cleaner, less patterned belly than many Nerodia. Adults usually measure 18-48 inches, and basking snakes can look thick and dark.

Ponds, swamp edges, cypress sloughs, marshes, and river margins are common settings. A plain belly, round pupils, and a quick drop toward water are more useful than body color, which changes with age and light.

38. Queensnake

Queensnake (Regina septemvittata) is a slender stream snake tied to clean rocky or gravelly water where crayfish live. Adults usually measure 18-48 inches, but the narrow body keeps it from looking like a bulky Nerodia.

Rocky stream edges, riffles, wet banks, and gravel bars fit better than broad open marsh. The crayfish connection matters: a queensnake is most plausible where clean water and freshly molted crayfish are available.

39. Red-bellied Snake

Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) is a tiny brown, gray, or reddish woodland snake named for its orange to red belly. Adults usually measure 7-16 inches, and many turn up only after rain or when damp cover is moved.

Leaf litter, moss, loose soil, rotting logs, shaded gardens, and cool woodland edges are the best context. Pale neck spots and the bright belly separate it from other small brown snakes that share the same cover.

40. Rough Earthsnake

Rough Earthsnake (Virginia striatula) is a small brown or gray snake that lives much of its life under loose soil, leaves, and logs. Adults usually measure 7-16 inches, with a plain body and a slightly rough-scaled look.

Damp gardens, compost, shaded woodland edges, leaf litter, pine-hardwood borders, and rotting logs are the usual setting. It is not a flashy snake, so size, soil, and subtle scale texture often matter more than pattern.

41. Saltmarsh Snake

Saltmarsh Snake (Nerodia clarkii) is a coastal Nerodia of brackish marshes, tidal creeks, and grassy saltwater edges. Adults are often 1-4 feet, with stripes, blotches, or muted colors that vary enough to make habitat essential.

Keep this ID close to the Gulf Coast. A watersnake in a freshwater pond far inland is a poor fit; a snake in cordgrass, tidal channels, brackish marsh edge, or coastal ditch deserves the comparison.

42. Smooth Earthsnake

Smooth Earthsnake (Virginia valeriae) is a small, plain brown or gray snake that spends much of its time in soil and leaf litter. Adults usually measure 7-16 inches, with a smooth, low-contrast look rather than bold markings.

Shaded gardens, damp leaf litter, rotting logs, compost, and woodland edges are the best places to compare it. It overlaps visually with rough earthsnakes and brownsnakes, so close photos of the head, belly, and scales can make the difference.

43. Southern Watersnake

Southern Watersnake (Nerodia fasciata) is the banded watersnake of many southeastern wetlands, with a sturdy body, round pupils, and no facial pit. Adults usually measure 18-48 inches, and older snakes may look darker than the name suggests.

Swamps, marshes, ponds, cypress sloughs, river edges, and vegetated ditches are classic places to find it. Because it often shares water with cottonmouths, body shape, head details, and the banded Nerodia pattern matter more than a quick glance.

44. Western Ribbonsnake

Western Ribbonsnake (Thamnophis proximus) is a long-tailed striped snake with a slim build and a habit of working wet grass and pond edges. Adults usually measure 18-48 inches, though the tail makes the snake look even longer.

Wet meadows, stream margins, pond edges, grassy ditches, and backyard cover near water are the main settings. The clean stripes, long tail, and quick movement separate it from heavier gartersnakes and bulkier watersnakes.

Quick identification tips

Start with habitat: Delta water, pine upland, hardwood slope, blackwater stream, coastal marsh, or yard edge. The likely list changes with each setting.

A photo that shows the whole snake is more useful than a tight head crop. Body build, pattern spacing, tail, and the surrounding cover are often enough to separate close calls.

FAQ

How many snake types are in Mississippi?

This guide profiles 44 Mississippi snakes from current herpetology references. Agency pages and field guides may use different counts when they group subspecies, older names, or rare records differently.

Which Mississippi snakes are venomous?

The venomous species are listed first in this guide. They include Eastern Copperhead, Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Northern Cottonmouth, Pygmy Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake, Harlequin Coralsnake. Compare range, habitat, and field marks before choosing a species.

Are watersnakes in Mississippi cottonmouths?

No. Several harmless watersnakes live near the same wetlands as cottonmouths. Look at range, body shape, head posture, pattern, and behavior before deciding.

What should I do if I find a snake in my yard in Mississippi?

Most yard snakes are passing through for cover, water, or prey. If a snake is inside a building or cannot leave on its own, contact a local wildlife professional.

What details help identify a snake from a photo?

Useful details include county, habitat, body length, dorsal pattern, head shape, tail shape, stripes or bands, and whether the photo was taken near water, rocks, logs, or open ground.