Snakes in Illinois
Illinois has around fifty snake species, most of which live in the southern portion of the state, comparatively warmer than the northern region. Only two of the four venomous snakes – the eastern massasauga and timber rattlesnake live in the north of Illinois. The massasauga living in swamps and marshes is endangered here. The Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board also enlists other species here threatened: the Kirtland’s snake, plains hognose snake, and eastern coachwhip.
| Group | Venomous | Non-venomous |
|---|---|---|
| Water Snakes | Northern Cottonmouth | Common Water Snake Midland Water Snake Mississippi Green Water Snake Copperbelly Water Snake Banded Water Snake Diamondback Water Snake Plain-bellied Water Snake |
| Rattlesnakes | Timber Rattlesnake Eastern Massasauga | – |
| Pit Vipers | Eastern Copperhead | – |
| Kingsnakes | – | Prairie Kingsnake Speckled Kingsnake Yellow-bellied Kingsnake Eastern Kingsnake Black Kingsnake Eastern Milksnake Red Milksnake |
| Garter Snakes | – | Common Garter Snake Chicago Garter Snake Plains Garter Snake Eastern Ribbon Snake Northern Ribbon Snake Western Ribbon Snake |
| Whip Snakes | – | Eastern Coachwhip |
| Hognose Snakes | – | Plains Hognose Snake Dusty Hognose Snake Eastern Hognose Snake |
| Rat Snakes | – | Great Plains Rat Snake Gray Ratsnake Black Rat Snake |
| Liodytes | – | Queen Snake Graham’s Crayfish Snake |
| Pituophis | – | Northern Pine Snake |
| Pantherophis | – | Eastern Fox Snake |
| Carphophis | – | Midwestern Worm Snake |
| Tantilla | – | Flat-headed Snake |
| Pituophis | Gopher Snake Bullsnake | |
| Virginia | – | Western Smooth Earth Snake |
| Storeria | DeKay’s Brownsnake Northern Redbelly Snake | |
| Opheodrys | Rough Green Snake Smooth Green Snake | |
| Diadophis | Ringneck Snake Northern Ringneck Snake Prairie Ringneck Snake | |
| Tropidoclonion | – | Northern Lined Snake |
| Cemophora | – | Northern Scarlet Snake |
| Coluber | – | Southern Black Racer Blue Racer |
| Clonophis | – | Kirtland’s Snake |
| Farancia | – | Western Mud Snake |
Snakes by Colors and Patterns
Black Snakes: Southern Black Racer, Black Rat Snake, Black Kingsnake
Brown Snakes: DeKay’s Brownsnake, Common Garter Snake
Snakes by Regions
Snakes in Northern Illinois: Common Watersnake, Western Hognose Snake, Plain-bellied Watersnake, Timber Rattlesnake
Snakes in Southern Illinois: Mississippi Green Water Snake,Banded Water Snake,Northern Cottonmouth, Eastern Copperhead
Snakes in Central Illinois: Northern Cottonmouth, Plains Hognose Snake
Quick Information
Largest Snake: Gopher Snake
Most Venomous Snakes: Timber Rattlesnake, Northern Cottonmouth
