Pet Information > Others > Other Pet > Snake > Common Snakes in Pennsylvania

Common Snakes in Pennsylvania

28 14:02:38

Common Snakes in Pennsylvania

Common Snakes in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania, with its numerous areas of natural habitat, is home to 21 different species of snake including three venomous varieties. Only eight of these species are considered abundant in the state, with the others being classed as either endangered or at least at-risk. None of the state's venomous species is considered common.

The rat snake is Pennsylvania's largest snake species.

Eastern Garter

The eastern garter snake is common throughout Pennsylvania and is found in every county. It grows to between 20 and 28 inches in length and has a slender body type. It ranges from dark olive-green to brownish in color with paler yellow to cream color stripes along the length of its body.

Northern Red-Belly

The red-belly snake is an abundant species in the state, found in most counties except in the extreme southwest and southeast. It is a small snake that grows to between 8 and 16 inches in length with a slim body type. It has a dark-colored back ranging from reddish-brown to almost black. As the name suggests, its underside ranges from pinkish to dark red.

Northern Water Snake

The northern water snake grows to between 24 and 55 inches, in average, and has a medium-thick body type. It tends to be dark to tan in color with a paler underbelly. It is a common species in Pennsylvania found in most counties.

Northern Brown Snake

The northern brown snake is a common snake found in most counties with the exception of the more central areas. It is a small species that grows to between 9 and 13 inches in length with a slender body. It ranges from light gray to dark brown in color with a paler, sometimes pinkish underside.

Eastern Rat Snake

The eastern rat snake is a large native species that grows to between 40 and 101 inches in length with a thick body type. It tends to be dark brown to black in color with lighter underbelly coloration. It is common in almost all of the state's counties.

Eastern Milk Snake

The eastern milk snake is a medium-sized snake that grows to between 24 and 52 inches in length with a medium thick body. It often has a reddish to beige body color with darker mottling patches. It is common in all but the most central counties of the state.

Northern Ring Neck

The northern ring neck is a small, slender snake species. It grows to between 12 and 15 inches in length and has a dark-colored body with a bright orange to yellow ring around its neck. It is found throughout the state in abundant numbers.

Northern Racer

The northern racer is the second largest snake in the state after the eastern rat. It grows to between 36 to 60 inches in length and has a slender body type. It has an almost uniform black to blue-black coloration with a slightly paler underside. It is found commonly throughout most of the state, except for a few of the more northern counties.

References

  • Pennsylvania Herp Identification: Snakes of Pennsylvania
  • Pennsylvania Herp Identification: Northern Racer