The 10 Most Misidentified Snakes — And How to Tell Them Apart

Snakes are often misunderstood, and misidentification can lead to unnecessary fear or, conversely, dangerous situations. Here are some of the most common snake mix-ups and how to tell them apart.

1. Coral Snake vs. Scarlet Kingsnake

This is perhaps the most famous snake mix-up in North America. Both snakes have red, yellow, and black bands. The venomous Coral Snake has red bands touching yellow bands, while the harmless Scarlet Kingsnake has red bands touching black bands. Remember the rhyme: "Red touches yellow, kills a fellow; red touches black, friend of Jack."

2. Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin) vs. Northern Water Snake

Both are dark, heavy-bodied snakes found near water. However, the venomous Cottonmouth has a blocky, triangular head and a distinctive dark band through its eye. It also tends to swim with its entire body floating on the water's surface, whereas the harmless Water Snake swims mostly submerged.

3. Copperhead vs. Eastern Milk Snake

Copperheads are venomous pit vipers with distinctive hourglass-shaped bands across their backs. Milk snakes also have reddish-brown bands, but their bands are rounded or saddle-shaped with black borders. Copperheads also have a classic triangular head and elliptical pupils.

Staying Safe

If you cannot positively identify a snake, treat it as if it is venomous and give it plenty of space. Snakes do not want to interact with humans and will generally retreat if left alone. Use a camera with a good zoom to take a photo, and use our AI snake identifier to get a safe, accurate identification from a distance.