Virginia Snake Identification Guide

 

The table below is sorted by the Virginia record lengths from smallest to largest.

It is interesting to note that in recorded Virginia history the longest, native snake ever documented was a black rat snake that measured 79.8 inches or just about 6 foot - 8 inches in total length.

 

 

Common Name

 Average Adult Length in inches

Virginia Record 

Length in inches

Record Length

 in inches

Dorsal

Pattern
Southeastern Crowned Snake 8 - 10 9.9 13 Uniformed color
Rough Earthsnake 7 - 10 11.6 12.8 Uniform color
Eastern Wormsnake 7 - 11 12.6 15 Uniform color
Smooth Earthsnake 7 - 10 12.6 15.5 Uniform color
Mountain Earthsnake 7 - 10 12.6 15.5 Uniform color
Northern Brownsnake 9 - 13 14.9 19.3 Spots
Northern Red-bellied Snake 8 - 10 15 16 Stripes
Northern Ring-necked Snake 10 - 15 19.5 27.8 Uniform color
Southern Ring-necked Snake 10 - 14 19.5 27.8 Uniform color
Smooth Green Snake 12 - 20 22.4 26 Uniform color
Snakes with a Virginia Record Length  of Over 2 Feet      
Northern Scarletsnake 14 - 20 25.6 32.6 Straight bands
Queen Snake 15 - 24 28.1 36.3 Stripes
Glossy Crayfish Snake 14 - 24 30.5 31.4 Stripes
Snakes with a Virginia Record Length  of Over 3 Feet      
Rough Greensnake 22 - 32 37.3 45.6 Uniform color
Eastern Ribbonsnake 18 - 26 38 38 Stripes
Eastern Milk Snake 24 - 36 42.2 52 Blotches
Eastern Gartersnake 18 - 26 43.3 48.7 Stripes
Eastern hog-nosed Snake 20 - 33 44.5 45.5 Uniform color/Blotches
Mole Kingsnake 30 - 40 46.8 47 Blotches
Snakes with a Virginia Record Length of Over 4 Feet      
Northern Copperhead 24 - 36 48 53 Hourglass bands
Northern Watersnake 24 - 42 54.1 55.3 Blotches
Corn Snake 30 - 48 56.7 72 Blotches
Red-bellied Water Snake 30 - 48 58 62 Blotches/Uniform color
Eastern Mudsnake 40 - 54 58.6 81.5 Blotches
Snakes with a Virginia Record Length of Over 5 Feet      
Eastern Cottonmouth 30 - 48 60.5 74 Hourglass bands
Eastern Kingsnake 36 - 48 63.8 82 Straight bands
Eastern Black Kingsnake 36 - 45 63.8 82 Uniform/Straight bands
Common Rainbow Snake 27 - 48 66 68.2 Stripes
Northern Pinesnake 48 - 66 66.1 83 Blotches
Timber Rattlesnake 36 - 60 67.1 74.5 Zigzag bands
Brown Watersnake 30 - 60 68.7 69.5 Blotches
Northern Black Racer 36 - 60 70.7 73 Uniform color
Snakes with a Virginia Record Length of Over 6 Feet      
Eastern Ratsnake (Black Ratsnake) 42 - 72 79.8 101 Uniform color

 

Dorsal patterns:

 

Straight Bands

Spots

Stripes

Hourglass bands

Zigzag Bands

Blotches

Illustrations by Mike J. Pinder

 

Ventral patterns:

 

Rows

Spots

Checkerboard

Illustrations by Mike J. Pinder