SNAKES Of east tennessee

EAST TENNESSEE IS HOME TO 23 SPECIES OF SNAKES;

ONLY 2 OF THESE ARE VENOMOUS.
NONVENOMOUS SNAKES VENOMOUS SNAKES
FOUND IN EAST TENNESSEE FOUND IN EAST TENNESSEE

Photo by John White Photo by David Scott Photo by John White Photo by David Scott Photo by John White
Photo by Cryste Atnip Photo by Jeremy Hamlington
BLACK KINGSNAKE SCARLET KINGSNAKE EASTERN MILKSNAKE MOLE KINGSNAKE RING-NECKED SNAKE
Lampropeltis niger Lampropeltis elapsoides Lampropeltis triangulum Lampropeltis rhombomaculata Diadophis punctatus TIMBER RATTLESNAKE COPPERHEAD
Crotalus horridus Agkistrodon contortrix

LEAD PHASE TAN PHASE

COTTONMOUTHS (Agkistrodon piscivorus) DO NOT OCCUR IN EAST

TENNESSEE. MOST REPORTED SIGHTINGS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED
TO MISIDENTIFICATION OF THE NORTHERN WATERSNAKE.

Photo by David Scott Photo by John White Photo by John White Photo by John White Photo by Dennis Desmond

SMOOTH EARTHSNAKE EASTERN WORMSNAKE RED-BELLIED SNAKE DEKAY’S BROWNSNAKE

Virginia valeriae Carphophis amoenus Storeria occipitomaculata Storeria dekayi

Photo by David Scott

COTTONMOUTH
Agkistrodon piscivorus

Photo by David Scott Photo by John White Photo by John White Photo by John White Photo by John White

SCARLETSNAKE
Cemophora coccinea
RATSNAKE
Elaphe spiloides
CORNSNAKE
Elaphe guttata
BLACK RACER
Coluber constrictor
ROUGH GREENSNAKE
Opheodrys aestivus
VENOMOUS OR NONVENOMOUS
HEAT PIT NOSTRIL

ELIPTICAL PUPIL ROUND PUPIL

NOSTRIL

Photo by John White Photo by John White Photo by David Scott Photo by David Scott Photo by David Scott

QUEEN SNAKE EASTERN RIBBONSNAKE COMMON GARTERSNAKE NORTHERN PINESNAKE SOUTHEASTERN CROWNED SNAKE
Regina septemvittata Thamnophis sauritus Thamnophis sirtalis Pituophis melanoleucus Tantilla coronata

Photo by Scott Dykes Photo by John White

VENOMOUS SNAKES IN EAST TENNESSEE CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY

THE PRESENCE OF HEAT SENSING PITS BEHIND THE NOSTRILS
AND ELIPTICAL PUPILS.
Photo by David Scott Photo by David Scott

EASTERN HOG-NOSED SNAKE

Heterodon platirhinos
NORTHERN WATERSNAKE
Nerodia sipedon
NONVENOMOUS SNAKES LACK HEAT SENSING PITS AND HAVE
ROUND PUPILS.
Acknowledgements: Dr. Floyd Scott, Austin Peay State University
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SNAKES OF EAST TENNESSEE, CONTACT PETE WYATT OR SCOTT DYKES, TWRA REGION IV NONGAME BIOLOGISTS. Lisa Powers, Froghaven Farm
Contributing Photographers