Yellow & Red Snakes in Florida

The Venomous Eastern Coral Snake

• It's easy to assume that a snake with red and yellow stripes might be a poisonous coral snake, but it's the pattern of stripes that identifies this species. The poisonous coral snake has black and red stripes separated by narrower yellow bands. Because the red and yellow stripes touch, the adage "red and yellow kill a fellow" has been coined to let a person know that a dangerous coral snake has been encountered. These may grow to 4 feet.

Non-Venomous Scarlet Snakes

• Mimics of coral snakes include the scarlet snake and the scarlet king snake, which feature wide red bands separated by smaller, black bands, bordered with rings of ivory (the scarlet snake) or white (the scarlet king snake). Both of these snakes can grow up to 3 feet long and are non-poisonous. Their bellies are white, compared with the non-broken series of rings that color a coral snake. The tips of their snouts are red, while those of the coral snake are black.

The Rainbow Snake

• This freshwater dweller has red, black and yellow stripes running the entire length of its body. It may grow to almost 6 feet and is rarely seen outside of its natural habitat in rivers and springs, or occasionally in creeks, marshes and mud-flats. Its favored food is eels, garnering it the nickname "eel moccasin." This non-venomous snake is nocturnal and, since it feeds at night, is rarely, if ever, seen in daylight.

Solid Color Red or Yellow Snakes

• Florida is home to several snakes whose skins partly feature either a solid red or yellow color. The red-bellied snake, rare in the state, grows to 15 inches. The black swamp snake, growing to about 18 inches, has a bright red belly. Southern ringneck snakes also have bright red or yellow underbellies, patterned with small half-moon shapes. Rat snakes, especially when selectively bred in captivity, may mature into completely red specimens.