Northern Scarlet Snake

Cemophora coccinea

Northern Scarlet Snake (Cemophora coccinea)
Photo by Johnny Baakliny · CC BY-NC 4.0
Description

How to Identify

Small snake with red dorsal saddles bordered in black on a pale gray or white background; the bands do not encircle the belly.

Size

Usually 14-26 inches.

Diet

Primarily reptile eggs; also small lizards, snakes, and rodents.

Habitat

Sandy woods, fields, and pine habitats where it often burrows.

Location

Where it is found

Occurs mainly in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain.

North Carolina regional range for Northern Scarlet Snake Highlighted official regions: Piedmont, Coastal Plain. Regional guidance is not a county-level occurrence record. Mountains Piedmont Coastal Plain
Resources