South Florida Yellow Rat Snake

Central area rat snakes have olive brown stripes.

South florida yellow rat snake. The most familiar rat snakes in the florida peninsula are the yellow rat snakes. Our south florida yellow rat snakes descend from the sugar cane fields in the neighboring counties of glades hendry and palm. Florida snakes visual identification. And finally yellow rat snakes from the south have stripes that are much narrower and lighter in color.

Front face view of the head d. Yellow rat snakes from the southern tip of their range tend to be more golden butter yellow overall and have lots of yellow highlights on the belly and under the chin compared to the tannish straw yellow colored yellow rat snakes from central and northern florida. Yellow rat snakes can burrow and they can swim. Some are single uniform colors.

Some of the most attractive rat snakes occur on the south side of lake okeechobee in the everglades region. The yellow rat snake above the most common color morph in peninsula florida is typically yellowish with four brownish black stripes along the body. Baby yellow rat snakes look much different than the adult snake. Others have dark or light markings organized into stripes spots blotches or some other pattern.

Northern species have poorly defined and dark stripes. Of florida s 46 native species of snakes 34 are found in the south florida region shown in dark green on this map including four of the six venomous species timber rattlesnakes and copperheads are only found in north florida three non native species are also found in south florida. Different species of snake can often be distinguished by their characteristic color patterns. Weekly keeled scales range.

Quadrivittata in florida adult snakes commonly measure 90 to 180 cm 36 to 72 in in total length including tail with a few exceeding 200 cm 79 in. Classically these snakes have yellow irises and four barrow brown stripes that go down their backs. Here is a quick look at most of florida s snakes by pattern. Top of the head b.

A young adult with stunning coloration. Up north yellow rat snakes spend winter by hibernating a suitable place will have ample southern exposure. For instance the color in stripes doesn t vary as much as it does in. South florida yellow rat snake elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata.

Side of the head e. They are long slim snakes with a head only slightly wider than their body. Underside of the head chin and throat c. They also will congreage with other snakes emerging in the spring earlier down south later up north.

Coastal north and south carolina southward throughout peninsular florida. Yellow rat snake pantherophis alleghaniensis ssp. In florida the rat snake occurs in the panhandle east of the apalachicola river and throughout the peninsula south to key largo however it does readily hybridize with the gray rat snake pantherophis spiloides in the panhandle. South florida s snakes.