Common Snakes of Virginia

Virginia is popular for its wide range of wildlife creatures that live in different regions depending upon their growth requirements. This place is suitable for several reptile species as well, and experts also report the presence of several venomous and non-venomous snakes in this state. With the plenty of vegetation, farmlands, ridge flats, ridgeline peaks, and forests, snakes find lots of space to hide in this state. Common Snakes of Virginia:



1. Eastern Garter Snake:
This snake is also named as Garden Snake and can measure up to the length of 26 inches; however, the longest one is reported to be 49 inches in length. These snakes can eat a variety of rodents, toads, frogs, slugs, and worms, etc. Eastern Garter Snakes prefer to visit grassy fields, stone walls, trash dumps, lakes and water-logged areas.

2. Rat Snake:
There are two commonly found rat snakes in Virginia; they are Gray Rat snake and Great Plains Ratsnake. Although they are not venomous, but these snakes appear terrible due to their long length that can reach up to 10 feet; however, most of these snakes are observed to be between 2 to 4 feet length in Virginia.

3. Northern Black Racer:
Here is another common Fairfax County snake that measures somewhere around 60 inches in length and can be identified by its striking body color and large eyes. Many people in Virginia confuse this snake with Black rat snake.

4. Northern Water Snake:
This Fairfax County snake appears scary due to its features that match cottonmouth snake, but it is non-venomous in nature. Northern Water Snake rarely mess with humans; even if it encounters humans, it prefers to coil up and snap.

5. Ring-Necked Snake:
There are two common species of ring-necked snakes that are present in Virginia. One is Southern Ring-Necked Snake, and other is Northern Ring-Necked snake. However, both these snake species are secretive and nocturnal in nature, and they rarely prefer to come out in light hours. It often prefers to hide in open woodlands, rocky hillsides, and forests.

6. Eastern Worm Snake:
The Eastern Worm Snake is usually spotted in woodlands and wetlands; preferably if they are close to grasslands. These snakes love to bury underground tunnels to live so their target habitat can be your lawn, garden, and yard, etc. They prefer to hunt earthworms, snails, slugs, and worms in the backyards.

7. Eastern Smooth Earth Snake:
It is the smallest snake that you may find in Virginia. This Fairfax County snake can have a maximum length of only 13 inches, and it prefers to live inside fallen leaves of soil where it can find beetles and earthworms to eat.

Venomous Snakes of Virginia:
There are three venomous snake categories in Virginia; they are Eastern Cottonmouth, Timber Rattlesnake, and Northern Copperhead. Most of the venomous snake bite cases in the USA are reported because of Copperhead snake, but they are rarely spotted in residential areas. However, many people confuse cottonmouth snake with other non-venomous snakes and face huge trouble by messing with this terrible snake.

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