In North America and other parts of the world, you may encounter a red and black snake along your hike and wonder if youre dealing with a venomous snake species or something like a harmless milk snake.
Its a valid point to ponder; many species have evolved similar color patterns in order to denote their status as venomous or nonvenomous snakes. Here, well go over some red and black snake species and give you an idea of how cautious you should be around them.
The Vibrant World of Red Snakes
Red is a standout color in the snake world. While most snakes come in earthy tones like browns tans greens, and grays, red snakes pop against their surroundings. These brightly-colored serpents span continents and come in vivid crimson, scarlet, reddish-brown, and orange-red varieties.
Red snakes grab our attention but they also play important ecological roles. Their bright colors can serve as warnings to potential predators or help them blend into red soil environments. Some species constrict prey while others inject venom. Read on to learn more about 29 eye-catching red snake species found around the globe.
Vivid Red Tree Snakes
Several tree-loving snakes sport reddish hues. These arboreal species wrap around branches and traverse treetops in tropical jungles and rainforests. Their coloring provides camouflage against vegetation and soil.
- Green Tree Python
The green tree python (Morelia viridis), found in Australia and New Guinea, lives up to its name with emerald scales. But one of its most popular morphs is the red color variant with creamy white spots along the back. These markings likely help the snakes blend into their forested habitats.
- Amazon Tree Boa
This South American species (Corallus hortulana) also spends its time wrapped around branches high up in the rainforest canopy. Common names like garden tree boa and macabrel hint at their arboreal nature. Individuals exhibit an array of colors including reds, pinks, browns, greens, grays, and more.
- Emerald Tree Boa
Emerald tree boas (Corallus caninus) inhabit tropical forests from Costa Rica down into the Amazon basin. Most emerald tree boas are various shades of green, but some individuals feature deep reddish-brown coloring with distinctive lighter bands. These snakes grow to 6 feet long and have prehensile tails to grip branches.
Terrestrial Red Snakes of the Americas
North, Central, and South America host diverse red snake species that live predominantly on the ground. They inhabit rainforests, open fields, farms, suburbs, and deserts from Canada down to Argentina.
- Scarlet Kingsnake
The scarlet kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) makes its home in pine forests and scrublands of the southeastern United States. As juveniles, they have bright red, yellow, and black banding that fades to mostly red with faint patterns as adults. Scarlet kingsnakes constrict rodents, lizards, and other small prey.
- Red Milksnake
Red milksnakes (Lampropeltis triangulum), close cousins of scarlet kingsnakes, range from Canada to South America. Their distinctive red, black and white bands mimic deadly coral snakes to deter predators. As opportunistic eaters, they consume rodents, lizards, eggs, and other small vertebrates.
- Red Black-headed Snake
The aptly named red black-headed snake (Tantilla rubra) inhabits the southwestern United States and Mexico. With black heads and necks and uniform dark red bodies, they frequent prairies, plains, woodlands, and deserts. At just 10-12 inches long, they eat centipedes, scorpions, spiders, and other small invertebrates.
- Variable Coralsnake
From Guatemala down into northwestern South America lives the variable coralsnake (Micrurus diastema), a highly venomous species. Their slender bodies have red scales with scattered thin black bands. These rainforest snakes can deliver dangerous bites, so it’s best to avoid them.
- Brazilian Rainbow Boa
As the name suggests, Brazilian rainbow boas (Epicrates cenchria) come in a spectrum of colors. One popular pet trade morph features a bright crimson back with yellow stripes ringing the head. They live in tropical forests and savannahs from Central America into Brazil and Argentina.
- Coffee Snake
Coffee snakes, genus Ninia, have several red members including the Costa Rican coffee snake (Ninia maculata) and red coffee snake (Ninia sebae) of Central America. Their squat bodies are solid red to russet with yellow-marked heads that resemble vipers as a defense tactic.
Old World Red Snakes
The continents of Africa, Asia, and Australia are home to diverse snakes with red coloration, including some dangerously venomous species. Many inhabit tropical rainforests and woodlands.
- African House Snake
The African house snake (Lamprophis fuliginosus) has a patchwork of brown, orange, and reddish scales that help it blend into forest floors and human dwellings across sub-Saharan Africa. They constrict mice, lizards, and amphibians while utilizing their sharp teeth to puncture eggs.
- Montane Night Adder
The montane night adder (Causus maculatus) creeps along remote highlands of central and east Africa. Various populations show deep reddish-brown, spotted patterns to solid orange-red colors. These stubby vipers deliver hemotoxic venom through long fangs to subdue lizards and rodents.
- Red Spitting Cobra
Africa’s northern savannahs and woodlands harbor the notorious red spitting cobra (Naja pallida), brightly colored but dangerous. When threatened, they can spray venom from modified fangs into the eyes of predators, causing searing pain and blindness. Their neurotoxic bite can paralyze and kill humans.
- Red Bamboo Snake
Southern Asia’s rainforests and jungles host the red bamboo snake, also called the red mountain racer (Oreocryptophis porphyraceus). True to their name, they frequent bamboo thickets and forested slopes. The species exhibits a vivid red-orange appearance with faint darker banding in some individuals.
- Coral Kukri Snake
India’s remote biodiverse forests contain the brilliant coral kukri snake (Oligodon kheriensis). Little is known about their behavior, but they likely use their pinkish-red camouflage to hide among the leaf litter and ambush small prey like worms.
- Red-tailed Pipe Snake
The red-tailed pipe snake (Cylindrophis ruffus) inhabits tropical forests and cultivated areas from Southeast Asia down into Indonesia and the Philippines. They have stout black bodies with bright red-orange tails. These mildly venomous snakes prey on frogs, lizards, smaller snakes, eggs, and more.
Australia’s Red Snakes
The land down under boasts an impressive array of vibrantly colored snakes, including red species adapted to the dry interior and coastal forests. Some deliver powerful neurotoxic venom.
- Red-bellied Black Snake
Australia’s woodlands and watercourses support the large, shiny black red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus). As the name suggests, they have striking red undersides. Considered very dangerous, their venom can cause nausea, convulsions, and respiratory paralysis in humans.
- Desert Death Adder
Several subspecies of the desert death adder (Acanthophis pyrrhus) inhabit Australia’s arid scrublands and deserts. They bury themselves in leaf litter and sand with only their spade-shaped heads exposed, waiting to strike passing prey with rapid venom-injecting attacks. Reddish bands and blotches help camouflage them.
- Inland Taipan
Renowned as the world’s most venomous snake, the inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) prowls remote arid habitats. Its light brown appearance is marked by scattered reddish-orange blotches for concealment. This elusive snake can deliver enough neurotoxin in one bite to kill 100 adults.
- Monk Snake
The aptly named monk snake, also known as the hooded snake (Parasuta monachus), frequents northern Australia’s Eucalyptus woodlands and grasslands. They exhibit brownish-red coloration with black heads bearing light facial stripes. This venomous colubrid preys on small skinks and lizards.
Eye-Catching Asian Red Snakes
- Red Bamboo Ratsnake
This stunning snake inhabits bamboo thickets and tropical forests from northeast India to southern China and Vietnam. True to its name, the red bamboo ratsnake (Oreocryptophis porphyraceus) sports a rich crimson-red back with faint darker transverse striping in some individuals. They can reach 6 feet long.
- Coral Bamboo Snake
The coral bamboo snake (Calliophis macclellandii) creeps stealthily through Southeast Asia’s jungles. Its bright reddish-orange scales are marked by widely-spaced black bands. These rear-fanged venomous snakes hunt frogs, lizards, smaller snakes, and more. Bites cause only mild swelling in humans.
- Blue Malaysian Coralsnake
Found on the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and surrounding islands, the blue Malaysian coralsnake (Calliophis bivirgatus) belongs to the lethal coralsnake family. Its intriguing patterning features a vivid blue head and tail with a striking red-orange midsection and scattered black crossbands. This species can inflict dangerous neurotoxic bites.
- Red-banded Snake
Southern Asia’s open forests, scrublands, and rice paddies harbor the red-banded snake (Dinodon rufozonatum), identifiable by its bright crimson-red stripes. They consume rodents, lizards, frogs, and other small vertebrates. When threatened, these rear-fanged colubrids may bite defensively and secrete a foul musk.
Prehistoric Looking Species
Some snakes with primordial features also come in red varieties. These unique reptiles include species with vestigial legs, thick triangular heads, and other unusual traits.
- Kenyan Sand Boa
The stout Kenyan sand boa (Eryx colubrinus) inhabits the semi-arid Sahel region of Africa. They have blunt tails and shovel-shaped heads with tiny vestigial hindlimbs complete with spurs. Some individuals exhibit rich rusty-red pigmentation with faint markings. Sand boas constrict rodents in their underground burrows.
- Rubber Boa
North America’s rubber boa (Charina bottae) has a thick, rounded body with a short blunt tail and small horn-like spurs hinting at their ancestral legs. They range from tan to dark chocolate brown. Some rubber boas native to southern California and Mexico feature bright reddish-orange coloring with faint darker blotches.
- Round Island Burrowing Boa
Found only on Round Island off the coast of Mauritius, the Round Island burrowing boa (Bolyeria multocarinata) has multiple primitive features like its vestigial hindlimbs. It shows an orangey-brown appearance with muted pattern variations between the sexes. They have dark faces with heat-sensing pits to find bird and lizard prey in underground tunnels.
Cute Little Red Snakes
Some small red serpents measuring just inches long also inhabit ecosystems around the world. They survive by avoiding larger predators through stealth, speed, and mimicry.
- Western Red-bellied Snake
This petite North American species (Storeria occipitomaculata) averages just 8-18 inches long. True to its name, it exhibits bright red undersides with brown or gray upper parts marked by a reddish stripe down the back in some individuals. They thrive in wetlands and moist woodlands.
- European Grass Snake
The European grass snake (Natrix natrix) frequents wetlands across much of the continent. Individuals show highly variable brown, olive, or gray backs with distinctive black blotches. Their undersides range from bright yellow to rich orange-red. Females can reach over 5 feet long.
- Ringneck Snake
Ringneck snakes, genus Diadophis, occur across North America. Most have black or gray upperparts with yellow or reddish bellies and distinctive bright yellow-orange neck rings. The northern ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii) exhibits a fiery reddish-orange venter. These harmless snakes average 10-15 inches long.
Conclusion
The striking reds displayed across this diversity of snake species symbolize passion and danger to humans, but also play key camouflage and warning roles in their native habitats. Red snakes crawl throughout Earth’s landscapes, from boreal forests to tropical jungle canopies, underground burrows, fields, wetlands, and desert sands. These colorful serpents fill important niches in ecosystems as predators and prey. Learning their natural history helps instill appreciation for these attention-grabbing yet elusive creatures.
Red-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus)
Red bellied black snakes look very similar to both the black swamp snake and the ring-necked snake. This species, however, is only found in wetlands on the east coast of Australia.
These Australian snakes carry a mild venom which they use to subdue small prey. They generally avoid conflict with humans but may bite when accidentally disturbed. Over time, the venom can cause symptoms like wound swelling, nausea, vomiting, headache and abdominal pain.
Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum)
Milk snake varieties can be found all over North America. They like to hide away in cramped spaces like mammal burrows or barns, which is how the snake got its name.
Some subspecies of milk snake are dull grey or brown in color, but others feature multicolored bands like coral snakes. If you look closely, youll see that the red bands touch the black bands.
No matter which subspecies you spot, the milk snake is one of the most harmless snakes you might encounter in the wild, and they are often kept as pets. They only eat small prey like mice, and their bites are generally too weak to even pierce human skin.
Prolific The Rapper x A Tribe Called Red – Black Snakes [Updated]
FAQ
What kind of snake is red?
| Worm Snake | Northern Scarlet Snake | Mud Snake |
| Mole Kingsnake | Scarlet Kingsnake | Red Milk Snake |
| Northern Red-bellied Snake | Plain-bellied Water Snake | North Florida Swamp Snake |
| Red Cornsnake | Prairie Kingsnake |
Are little red snakes poisonous?
Since the red-bellied snake is non-venomous and so small, it does not pose a threat to humans and pets (Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, 2021).
Is a red rat snake poisonous?
This species kills its prey by constriction, as they have no toxic venom or fangs.
What does a red snake symbolize?
Red Snake: A red snake might symbolize passion, intense emotions, or danger. It could also represent a warning related to anger, lust, or conflict in your waking life. 4.
What does a red snake eat?
Like other red snakes living in the rainforest, the Forest Flame snake can live at altitudes above 7.000 feet. This species can grow to a maximum size of 36 inches and this influences the type of prey it can go after. Forest Flame snakes mostly eat small mammals, small birds, and small eggs.
What color is a red snake?
Most adult Red-bellied Snakes are about 8-10 inches (20-26 cm) in total length. These snakes are small and thin, and their background color is gray to reddish brown with 1-5 stripes down the back. The head is black or dark brown, and there is a light collar around the neck. The belly is normally bright red.
Where does a red snake live?
Red snakes are found all over the world. Some of the largest red snakes are found in Central and South America. The Amazon is one of the rainforests where red snakes are found in high numbers. Red snakes can be both venomous and non-venomous.
Where is the red-bellied snake found in Florida?
Red-bellied Snakes are found throughout the northern peninsula south to Pasco and Orange counties, and they occur west throughout the Panhandle. Non-venomous. Red-bellied Snakes are not dangerous to people or pets.