Snakes in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has just 14 species of snakes, most being non-venomous except the timber rattlesnake and northern copperhead. The timber rattlesnake, considered endangered and protected in Massachusetts, is found in five locations, including the Connecticut River Valley area, Blue Hills, and the Berkshires. The northern copperhead, on the other hand, is found along the Boston region and Connecticut River Valley.

The black rat snake is the state’s biggest, while the worm snake is the smallest.

Groups	Venomous	Non-venomous
Rattlesnakes	Timber Rattlesnake	–
Pit Vipers	Northern Copperhead	–
Garter Snakes	–	Eastern Garter Snake Ribbon Snake
Kingsnakes	–	Milk Snake
Water Snakes	–	Common Watersnake
Hognose Snakes	–	Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
Storeria	–	DeKay’s Brownsnake Redbelly Snake
Coluber	–	Eastern Racer
Rat Snakes	–	Black Rat Snake
Opheodrys	–	Smooth Green Snake
Diadophis	–	Ring-necked Snake
Carphophis	–	Eastern Worm Snake Worm Snake