There are more than 40 species of snakes that are native to Florida, but only six of them are venomous.

Snakes are most active in the spring and early summer months, when the weather warms up and they emerge from brumation, which is similar to hibernation.

As it starts to heat up for the summer in Florida, you might see more of your slithery neighbors gliding through your grass or across your driveway. But not every snake is a threat.

Here’s a guide to identifying Florida’s venomous snakes and some non-venomous snakes they resemble.

Venomous snakes in Florida: Here’s the list

There are six species of venomous snakes that are native to the Sunshine State, and three of them are rattlesnakes. If you grew up near a lake or river, you might recognize the deadly cottonmouth, also called a water moccasin, which is one of the six.

“Our 44 species of native snakes are found in every conceivable habitat, from coastal mangroves and saltmarshes to freshwater wetlands and dry uplands, and many species thrive in residential areas,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) says. 

“However, there are just a few species that are commonly seen in developed areas, although any snake may occasionally be found in urban settings.”

Here’s a list of Florida’s native, venomous snakes:

• Eastern diamondback rattlesnake: Named for their pattern, eastern diamondbacks can be brown, yellow or tan and all have a very distinct black diamond pattern on their backs. Hopefully, you don’t come close enough to one of these to see the black and white stripe that runs diagonally along the side of their heads, from the eyes to the neck. This is the largest rattlesnake species (by length and weight) in the U.S. and they can be found throughout the entire state of Florida, according to the FWC.

“Rattlesnakes, like many animals, would prefer to silently leave a dangerous situation. When given the opportunity, rattlesnakes will flee from human encounters,” the FWC says. “If a rattlesnake is ever observed in the wild it is best to give it space or let it slither away on its own.”

• Timber rattlesnake: Timber rattlesnakes are often also called canebrakes or canebrake rattlesnakes. Timber rattlesnakes have a pinkish-gray or tan body, with a pattern of large, black, chevron-like crossbands and a reddish-brown stripe running down the middle of their back. Their tails are usually black. These snakes are less common than their diamondback cousin and have only been confirmed in 12 counties in north Florida, according to the Florida Museum.

“Timber rattlesnakes are not aggressive and avoid direct contact with people and pets. Most bites occur when the snakes are intentionally molested or accidentally stepped on,” according to the Florida Museum. “This is a snake that should be simply left alone and not bothered.”

• Dusky pygmy rattlesnake: Dusky pygmy rattlesnakes, also known as pygmy rattlesnakes, have a dark or light gray body, with row of black or charcoal blotches along the length of its body and a reddish-brown stripe running down the middle of the back. Their bites are very painful, but not life-threatening. They can be found throughout the entire state, but aren’t known to occur in the Florida Keys, according to the Florida Museum.

• Cottonmouth (water moccasin): Cottonmouths, also known as water moccasins, are dark brown or black, with a pattern of light brown and dark brown crossbands with many dark spots and speckles. These snakes get darker with age, so adults sometimes become uniformly black and are often confused with black racer snakes (which are harmless). Their eyes are camouflaged by a broad, dark, facial stripe and they usually slither with their heads held up, which helps differentiate them from their look-alikes. The color pattern of baby cottonmouths is much lighter than in adults, and newborns’ tails are sulfur-yellow.

“Cottonmouths are found throughout Florida and in every county,” the Florida Museum says. “They also occur on many nearshore islands including the Upper Florida Keys and several islands in the Gulf of Mexico in Levy (e.g., Cedar Keys) and Franklin (e.g., Dog, St. George, and St. Vincent islands) counties.”

• Copperhead: Copperheads aren’t as common as some of Florida’s other venomous snakes, but they are native to the Florida panhandle. The body of an eastern copperhead is light brown, with dark brown crossbands.

“In Florida, copperheads occur only in the Panhandle, primarily in the western tip and along the Apalachicola River and its tributaries,” the Florida Museum says. “The herpetology collection at the Florida Museum contains verified records from Calhoun, Escambia, Gadsden, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties. The range may extend to other nearby areas, but there are no confirmed records from other Florida counties.”

• Eastern coral snake: The old saying “Red on yellow, kill a fellow. Red on black, you’re okay, Jack,” applies here. Eastern coral snakes, also called harlequin coral snakes, are often confused with the harmless scarlet kingsnake. And being able to tell the difference could save you a trip to the emergency room. Eastern coral snakes are thin and have alternating red and black rings across their entire body, separated by smaller yellow rings. Their heads are small and not distinct from the neck, with a rounded black snout and a broad yellow band behind the eyes. These snakes can be found throughout the entire state of Florida, according to the Florida Museum.

“Bites from Harlequin Coral snakes can be very dangerous to people and pets, but bites from this species are extremely rare,” the Florida Museum says. “The victim should seek immediate medical care from a physician or hospital experienced in treating snake bites.”

To see photos and more in-depth descriptions on these and Florida’s native, harmless snakes, visit the Florida Museum’s guide for identifying the state’s snakes.

Identifying Florida’s native snakes: How to tell the difference between a water moccasin and a harmless water snake

The worst part about sharing space with these venomous snakes, is that they are often and easily confused for more harmless species.

If you encounter a snake you aren’t sure is safe, keep your distance and walk the other way. If you have to get close enough to identify it, here are some key differences between the poisonous snakes of Florida and their look-alikes.

Here are some look-alikes for each of Florida’s six native, poisonous snakes:

• Eastern diamondback rattlesnake, Timber rattlesnake, Dusky pygmy rattlesnake: All three of Florida’s rattlesnakes are often confused for a gentle giant that isn’t packing any venom in its fangs: the eastern indigo snake. It’s easy to tell the difference if you pay attention to the coloring of the snake. Eastern indigo snakes don’t have the iconic patterns that Florida’s rattlesnakes have along their body. These snakes are glossy black and often have a blue or purplish iridescent hue to their scales, according to the Florida Museum. They can be confused for rattlesnakes because of their behavior, though.

“The eastern indigo snake is not venomous and doesn’t have fangs or a rattle, but that doesn’t stop it from acting like a rattlesnake,” according to Florida Today. “When threatened, they’ll flatten their heads, hiss and vibrate their tails like rattlesnakes.”

• Cottonmouth: Cottonmouths are very easy to mis-identify, because adult cottonmouths are often too darkly colored to see the pattern on their scales. Many people often confuse them for harmless water snakes. Some water moccasins look browner than others, striking a resemblance to the banded water snake, which has a patchy brown body. When on land, dark black adult cottonmouths can also be easily confused with harmless black racer snakes. Remember that if you see a snake that looks like a water snake slithering with its head tilted upright, it’s more than likely a cottonmouth.

• Copperhead: If you see what you think is a copperhead snake in Florida, but you aren’t in the Florida panhandle, it’s likely a harmless hognose snake. Pay attention to the sound, copperheads don’t make a sound when threatened, but hognose snakes hiss.

“Sometimes called ‘puff adders’ in Florida, these snakes are harmless. When threatened, they mimic vipers by raising and ‘puffing up’ their heads with air while they coil their bodies,” Florida Today says. “Some hognose snakes can also flatten their heads to take on a cobra-like appearance. They will hiss and strike with their pointy noses, but they don’t attempt to bite.”

• Eastern coral snake: As mentioned above, these red, yellow and black snakes are often confused for the harmless scarlet kingsnake. Remember the saying: “Red on yellow, kill a fellow. Red on black, you’re okay, Jack.”

What snakes have invaded Florida? Burmese pythons live in the Sunshine State

Florida is also home to some big, exotic and invasive snakes. Boa constrictors and tens of thousands of Burmese pythons have invaded the southern parts of the state, namely in the Everglades.

Pythons are so invasive that you don’t need a permit to hunt and kill them and the FWC actually hosts a python hunting challenge every August.

“Hunters, anglers and outdoor recreationists with experience removing pythons or other large constrictors from the wild are encouraged to apply, with preference given to Florida residents and military veterans,” The Fort Myers News-Press reported in 2024. “To gain experience, FWC recommends participating in the Florida Python Challenge or hunting on FWC-managed lands.”

Contributing: Rachael Thomas, Florida Today

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Deadliest snakes in Florida: 6 species carry venom, What to know