Snakes with spots come in a huge variety of colors, patterns, and species. From harmless to venomous, these snakes use their spots and blotches as camouflage to blend into their surroundings and ambush prey.
Spots can vary dramatically between different species and even within the same species They can be small speckles, large blotches, bands, bars, or any variation in between. Some snakes are born with vivid patterns that fade as they mature, while others develop bolder markings with age
Let’s take a look at 45 of the most colorful and unique spotted snake species found around the world:
1. Common Garter Snake
The common garter snake is one of the most widespread snake species in North America. Several subspecies feature distinctive spotted patterns, like the red-spotted morph with its black body decorated with red lateral spots
2. Gopher Snake
Gopher snakes are large, powerful constrictors identified by their tan or brown base color patterned with dark brown blotches of varying sizes along the back. Their spots provide camouflage in rocky desert environments.
3. Common Watersnake
True to their name, common watersnakes sport bands, bars, and blotches in shades of brown or black. These semi-aquatic snakes rely on their complex markings for concealment when hunting prey at the water’s edge.
4. Dekay’s Brownsnake
Dekay’s brownsnake is a tiny, secretive species with a brown base color marked with small, dark spots lining the sides. This harmless snake uses its spots as camouflage in forest litter.
5. Western Rattlesnake
Highly venomous western rattlesnakes exhibit spots in hues ranging from gray to brown. They frequently have additional dark borders surrounding their dorsal blotches.
6. Corn Snake
Popular pet snakes, corn snakes display incredible color variations. Their spots may be red, orange, brown, and more. Some are born with vivid patterns that fade with maturity.
7. Prairie Rattlesnake
Prairie rattlesnakes sport a tan or dusty gray base color with dark dorsal blotches bordered in white or cream. Young snakes have more vivid, high-contrast spots that dull over time.
8. Speckled Kingsnake
Speckled kingsnakes live up to their name with spots speckling their inky black bodies. Spots come in white, yellow, or cream and may be dots, triangles, lines, or other shapes. These harmless snakes are master mimics of venomous coral snakes.
9. Sidewinder
The aptly named sidewinder rattlesnake is a desert-dwelling pitviper with spots in shades of pink, tan, or gray that provide concealment against the arid sands and gravel of their habitat.
10. Eastern Hognose Snake
Eastern hognose snakes are extremely variable in color. Along with their famous upturned snouts, some have red, brown, gray, or black spots decorating their bodies. The patterns fade as the snakes mature.
11. Great Plains Ratsnake
Great Plains ratsnakes live up to their name occupying the central United States. Their gray or tan bodies display brown or olive green blotches with bold black borders for camouflage in the prairie grasses.
12. Glossy Snake
True to their name, glossy snakes have iridescent scales that give them a polished look. Their background color ranges from gray to tan to match their habitat, patterned with mid-sized brown blotches down the back and sides.
13. Brown Watersnake
The brown watersnake is an adept swimmer, with a brown or grayish body marked with about 30 rows of dark brown blotches. Their sinister appearance causes them to be mistaken for venomous cottonmouths.
14. Western Massasauga
The western massasauga rattlesnake occupies wetlands across central North America. Their light brown or gray bodies are covered in large, rounded dorsal spots with dark edges. They blend into prairie grasses but pack a dangerous punch with their venomous bite.
15. Desert Nightsnake
Desert nightsnakes are tiny, harmless snakes of California and Mexico’s arid landscapes. They have light brown coloration with tiny dark spots as juveniles that enlarge and multiply as adults.
16. Trans-Pecos Ratsnake
Trans-Pecos ratsnakes of Texas are pale snakes with a pattern of black markings decorated with yellow dots. They are powerful constrictors but nonvenomous.
17. Pine Snake
Pine snakes inhabit forested parts of the southeastern United States. Juveniles are tan with black blotches, while adults may be nearly solid black. Both age classes retain spots on the belly.
18. Arizona Black Rattlesnake
This dangerous rattler has a blackish body marked with narrow white or yellow bands or lines. It blends into the volcanic rocks of its rugged Arizona habitat.
19. Speckled Racer
The aptly named speckled racer has a unique pattern of black scales alternated with green and yellow, speckling its body from head to tail. The bold markings probably help break up their body outline while moving through vegetation.
20. Twin-spotted Rattlesnake
Twin-spotted rattlesnakes from Mexico and the southwestern United States get their name from the paired dark spots running along their tan, gray, or pinkish bodies.
21. Southern Hognose Snake
Southern hognose snakes put on an impressive bluff display when threatened, inflating their necks like cobras. Their coloration features a red or tan ground color with many small and large black spots.
22. Coachwhip Snake
This long, thin whip-like snake is a lightning fast hunter and accomplished climber. Light lines run along the entire length of their brown or gray body, with alternating spots forming a banded or chainlink pattern.
23. African Egg-eater
The African egg-eater has a unique diet of, you guessed it, eggs! Their spotted brown or olive scales help them blend in among forest leaf litter as they search for bird and reptile eggs to swallow whole.
24. Oaxacan Dwarf Boa
A member of the boa family and native to Mexico, the diminutive Oaxacan dwarf boa grows to just 12-18 inches long. Light brown patches on a tan body help break up their outline in streamside habitats.
25. Amazon Tree Boa
Arboreal Amazon tree boas of South America are adept climbers and ambush predators. Their coils loop elaborately around branches, while their emerald body is covered in distinctive diagonal brown stripes.
26. Granite Night Lizard
The granite night lizard is a species of legless lizard native to California. It has dusky coloration with light spotting, helping it blend into granite rock outcrops and talus slopes.
27. Broad-banded Forest Cobra
Broad-banded forest cobras inhabit jungles and savannas of Central and West Africa. As one of Africa’s most dangerous snakes, their potent venom and spotted brown camouflage helps them ambush prey effectively.
28. Western Green Mamba
With skin the color of new leaves, the arboreal western green mamba is well camouflaged among vegetation. Its body is marked with dark olive green or black spots, breaking up its bright green outlines.
29. Leopard Snake
Leopard snakes are appropriately named for their lush green base color patterned with vibrant black spots, rings, and rosettes. Despite their menacing appearance they pose no danger to humans and prefer to eat frogs.
30. Radiated Ratsnake
The radiated ratsnake is endemic to Madagascar, recently introduced to Hawaii. They are slender, agile climbers with petite scales forming intricate designs of stripes, dots, and blotches in brown, black, and olive green.
31. European Grass Snake
Common and widespread, the European grass snake frequents wetlands across much of its namesake continent. Shades of gray, olive, and brown camouflage its long body, marked with distinctive black stripes and spots.
32. Amazon Coralsnake
This colorful mimick snakes bears the red, yellow, and black banding of venomous New World coralsnakes, likely a form of Batesian mimicry. Closer inspection reveals its tricolored bands are interrupted with blue spots along the sides.
33. Saw-scaled Viper
The saw-scaled viper is considered one of the world’s deadliest snakes. They inhabit dry areas across Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan, and India. Their tan, gray, or brown base color bears a cryptic pattern of wavy spots and blotches.
34. Eyelash Palm Pitviper
This arboreal pitviper from South America camouflages perfectly among leaves and branches. Its mossy green body is decorated with yellow and rusty reddish-brown spots, with distinctive “eyelash” scales above the eyes.
35. Rhinoceros Viper
The rhinoceros viper is a dangerous, aggressive snake capable of moving with tremendous speed. They have a strike range of over 6 feet. Their gray or tan bodies bear angular darker brown blotches for concealment among fallen leaves.
36. Cuban Boa
The Cuban boa is the largest native snake to its namesake island, reaching over 6 feet long. Their stocky bodies come in various shades of tan, brown, and gray, overlaid with darker dorsal markings. Some individuals also have beautiful orange tail tips.
37. Amazon Puffing Snake
Amazon puffing snakes have an ingenious defense mechanism – they huff and puff up their neck into a wide disc when threatened. Their spiny scales are banded with black and orange-red rings interrupted by yellowish spots.
38. Garter Snake
Garter snakes comprise over 30 species, making them one of the most varied snake lineages. Spotted morphs include the red-spotted garter snake and maritime garter snake. Their spots assist with camouflage.
39. Ball Python
Ball pythons are arguably the most popular pet snake. Selectively bred morphs exhibit incredible color and pattern variations. Spotted morphs include spiders, bumble bees, and pandas with vivid markings on a black base color.
40. Milksnake
Distributed across North and Central America, milksnakes have distinctive tricolored banding in shades of red, black, and yellowish or white. Some banded morphs feature additional smaller spots decorating their stripes.
41. Rainbow Boa
True to their name, rainbow boas display iridescent sheens across their scales. Native to Central and South America, their ground color can be brown, orange, or red overlaid with darker saddles and spots.
42. Mexican Mole Snake
Mexican mole snakes spend virtually their entire lives underground tunneling through soil. Their pinkish-gray bodies are marked with dark brown-black spots and blotches that likely help them blend into a subterranean existence.
43. Amazon False Coralsnake
This nonvenomous mimick snakes closely resembles the deadly coralsnakes inhabiting the same range. Their vivid color pattern includes red, yellow, and black rings dotted with blue spots along the sides.
44. Texas Patch-nosed Snake
Texas patch-nosed snakes are small, secretive snakes occupying rocky canyons and stream banks of central Texas. Their grayish-brown scales are speckled with small dark spots on the head, back, and sides.
45. African Spotted Bush Snake
These brightly colored snakes inhabit tropical forests and woodlands of equatorial Africa. Vivid orange or red scales contrast with a smattering of black spots decorating their entire body and tail. Their spotted pattern likely mimics cobras.
As you can see, spots come in an endless array of colors and patterns across snake species worldwide. They play crucial roles in camouflage and mimicry for both harmless and dangerous snakes alike. The huge diversity of snakes with spots illustrates nature’s boundless capacity for variation.
Queensnake
Another of Pennsylvanias snakes categorized as “water” snakes, the queensnake in some local areas may be known as the “willow” snake or “leather” snake. It is very much an aquatic animal and an excellent swimmer. If disturbed by an intruder it does not hesitate to slip quickly into the water for safety. Adult queensnakes are 15 to 36 inches in length.
The queensnake is an attractive snake and a study in contrasts. The body color can be tan to shades of brown or almost black. A yellow stripe accents the lower side of the body and the belly is yellow with four well-defined brown stripes running its length. Two of these stripes are located near the center. Two larger stripes stretch along the sides of the belly. Some specimens may also have three faded stripes continuing down the back. The scales are keeled and the anal plate is divided.
Smooth Greensnake
Commonly known as the “green grass snake,” the smooth greensnake spends most of its time on the ground. It is the terrestrial cousin of the arboreal rough greensnake and is slightly smaller. Adult sizes range from 14 to 20 inches. It is said to be the most gentle of all North American snakes.
The eastern smooth green snake is small and streamlined in appearance with the body ending in a long, tapered tail. Its body is a bright grass-green above with a plain white belly tinged with just a touch of pale yellow. The anal plate is divided and the smooth scales (keeled scales on the rough green snake) depict the name of the smooth greensnake.
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FAQ
What snake has spots on it?
The nonvenomous speckled king snake. Its white spots, sprinkled throughout smooth black scales, are a delightful sight for nature enthusiasts!
Are spotted house snakes poisonous?
Description: When we first found this snake, we had no idea what it was. We knew it wasn’t venomous, but that was about it.
Are spotted bush snakes harmless?
Spotted bush snakes are very common and completely harmless. They are well camouflaged, naturally very nervous, and quick to escape from any potential threat. As such, suburban sightings are rare.
Are speckled snakes poisonous?
The speckled kingsnake (Lampropeltis holbrooki) is a species of nonvenomous kingsnake in the family Colubridae.
What is a black snake with white spots?
A black snake with white spots could be either a speckled kingsnake or a juvenile black racer. Neither is venomous. The speckled kingsnake is usually found in the central to southern United States and can reach 48 inches in length. Their diets consist of small mammals, insects, birds, and other snakes.
Do black snakes have yellow spots?
Black snakes with yellow spots are a familiar sight across the US, especially in the Central and Southern regions. These snakes, varying in size from a few inches to several feet, display a striking contrast of colors that aid in their camouflage and identification.
Why do snakes have black spots on their back?
Found South of The Great Lakes, Kirtland’s Snakes use their colors to their defense. They can also flatten their bodies and fake death to escape predators. Snakes can have brown spots, black spots, white spots, or orange spots on their back. Discover 45 snakes with spots you may see.