10/02/2023
Good information on snakes commonly seen in the fall in this area.
Copperheads are the only venomous snake that we have in the DC metro area. They excel at camouflage - their tan bodies with dark brown hourglass-shaped bands on their backs blend in perfectly with leaf litter. They're most active just after sunset, particularly on warm, rainy evenings. They may be more active during daylight hours as the weather gets cooler. They are shy and only bite if stepped on or threatened. Be alert when hiking with dogs and avoid walking through thick vegetation.
The VHS Identification Team is receiving a high volume of ID requests for snakes commonly encountered this time of year. As cooler weather arrives these species seek refuge in safe warm places sometimes selecting a dwelling shared with Homo sapiens.
Harmless Juvenile Eastern Ratsnake - Exhibit a strong pattern of black to dark-brown blotches dorsally on a peppered black-and-white to gray body. The anterior blotches have anterior and posterior projections on the corners. The brown and white venter forms a checkerboard pattern. There is a distinct brown stripe that starts in front of the eye and runs to the margin of the mouth. These are connected by a brown band across the dorsum of the head. The venter of the tail has an irregular dark stripe along each side.
Harmless Juvenile Northern Watersnake - The dorsum of body and tail with a variable number of complete, closely spaced, dark crossbands anteriorly that break up at about midbody to form a series of rectangular, alternating, middorsal and lateral blotches; alternating blotches in contact or separated by 1 scale; body color brown to gray with varying amounts of red, yellow, or white; dorsal blotches and crossbands vary from solid black to reddish brown with black borders; venter cream to yellowish, sometimes pinkish, with 2 irregular rows of dark half-moons on the ventral scales; half-moons vary from all black to reddish and tan in the center with black borders; shape of markings highly irregular among individuals.
Harmless Adult Dekay’s Brownsnakes - The dorsum of body and tail light brown or gray to dark brown or nearly black, with a longitudinal series of small, paired black spots; area between spots is lighter than rest of body, forming a tan middorsal stripe in some specimens; a variable number of pairs of spots (2- 22) connected by a thin black crossbar; lateral scales tipped in black and white to form a checkerboard-like pattern in some specimens.
Harmless Juvenile Northern Black Racer - Have a dorsal pattern of dark-gray to reddish-brown blotches on a light-gray to brown body. The venter is cream in color and may be plain or bear an irregular series of black dots. Small black or brown dots often occur laterally on the dorsum. The chin is plain white and the head is mostly brown, interspersed with varying amounts of gray.
Venomous Juvenile Eastern Copperhead - Juveniles are colored and patterned as adults, with the notable exception that the tip of the tail (about 25-30% of its length) is sulfur yellow. Juveniles lack the black flecking seen in adults; it appears with age. Neonates have a total length of 204-243 mm (8 - 9.75 inches)
