Another dark colored snake, it is usually iridescent (often looking purple or blue) and has a contrasting colored throat, usually white or red. and in some cases, the name ‘racer’ has been replaced with the name ‘runner’.Įastern Indigo: A snake often confused with the black racer, the eastern indigo snake is actually one of the largest of the common snakes in Florida, measuring it at a hefty 8 feet maximum, males being longer than females. These also lead to different names such as blue racers, brown racers, green racers, etc. Usually a dark color with a white chin-patch, there are also a number of sub-species of the black racer which have various color patterns, all of which sport a lighter underbelly with generally solid colors up top. They have a great sense of vision and are also very fast moving, commonly found among water if not around your home. This is the most common snake found in residential Florida.Īlthough not venomous, they will strike if threatened but when left to their own devices will hunt for lizards, frogs and rodents. If you spot a snake around your home, it could very well be this one, a big fan of suburban areas and rummaging around the neighborhood during daylight hours. More people generally means more waste which in turn means more rats and mice and again, more snakes.Ĭall the below number for snake removal help in your area:īlack Racer: Also known as the eastern racer or coluber constrictor, the black racer is a constrictor commonly found throughout the entire United States and even as far south as Mexico and Belize. They’ll go wherever they can find food and many of the common snakes of Florida keep rodent numbers down. The humid weather that attracts these animals, over 170,000km of mangroves and salt marshes with underground and underwater sinkholes and caves providing the perfect hiding place. To identify the dangerous ones, click on the Venomous Snakes of Florida page. The snake's venom is not lethal to humans but can cause painful swelling and discoloration of the skin.Common Snakes of Florida: Florida, the sunshine state, is situation in the south-easterly part of the USA, with borders with the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama, Georgia, and even Cuba, to give you some idea of the kind of climate you can expect - hot and dry temperatures with the odd bout of severe thunder and rain storms, the perfect place for snakes to inhabit.Īlongside Texas, Florida is home to the most species of snakes, around 50, although only 4 of those are known to be venomous. In a 2006 study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, scientists found that the muscles of mice were not as susceptible to the mangrove snake's immobilizing venom as the muscles of birds. The mangrove snake's toxin, called denmotoxin, is especially useful when hunting their primary prey, birds. The fangs are angled backward to assist in biting and holding onto prey, though sometimes the prey needs to be chewed for the venom to be properly injected. This is a common adaptation of rear-fanged snakes. The Duvernoy's gland is located on the posterior end of the eye with a duct that connects to the rear fangs, which are enlarged and have grooves into which the venom flows. Like other members of the Colubrid family, it has a Duvernoy's gland, which is distinct from the venom gland and composed of cells that produce saliva. The mangrove snake is mildly venomous with rear fangs. The eye structure allows it to see better at night when it is active and on the hunt. The mangrove snake's eyes are large with narrow, vertical slits, earning it another common name-the yellow-ringed cat snake.

The yellow bands do not generally join over the back or under the belly. This slender snake is primarily black with yellow scales around its face and bands around its body.

Yellow snake with black stripes florida