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 |
|
|
|
Straight Bands |
Spots |
Stripes |
|
|
|
Hourglass bands |
Zigzag Bands |
Blotches |
Illustrations by Mike J. Pinder
Ventral patterns:
|
|
|
Rows |
Spots |
Checkerboard |
Illustrations by Mike J. Pinder