Snakes in South Carolina

South Carolina hosts about 40+ snake species, of which only 6 are venomous. The takeaway is the usual one for the Southeast: the great majority of snakes here are harmless and helpful. From the mountains to the sea, the state's varied terrain gives it a notably rich snake fauna for its size.

The diversity tracks the state's three broad regions. The Blue Ridge in the northwest holds forest and rocky-slope species, the rolling Piedmont in the middle holds woodland snakes, and the broad coastal plain in the southeast is dominated by pine flatwoods, longleaf forest, swamps, and tidal marsh. Cypress swamps, blackwater rivers, and the Lowcountry wetlands provide the watery habitats that water snakes and cottonmouths favor. That gradient from mountain to coast is what stacks so many species into one state.

The venomous snakes fall into simple groups. The Eastern Copperhead and the Northern Cottonmouth are pit vipers, the copperhead common in woods and even suburban edges, the cottonmouth tied to swamps, ponds, and slow rivers. The rattlesnakes include the Eastern Diamondback of the coastal pinelands, the Timber Rattlesnake of the upcountry forests, and the small Pygmy Rattlesnake. The Eastern Coralsnake is a banded elapid, secretive and seldom seen as it stays in leaf litter and sandy burrows. The old color rhymes only roughly apply in the US and are not a dependable way to identify a snake.

Most snakes residents see are harmless. Black racers and rat snakes are common around yards and woods, kingsnakes are welcome because they hunt and eat other snakes, and garter snakes are a garden fixture. Banded and brown watersnakes share the Lowcountry waters with cottonmouths and are frequently mistaken for them. On safety, the honest fact is that most bites happen when people try to handle or kill snakes, and deaths are very rare thanks to antivenom and medical care. Never handle a wild snake, and if a bite occurs, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or 911.