Pine Woods Snake
Rhadinaea flavilata • Order: Squamata; Suborder: Serpentes; Family: Colubridae; Subfamily: Dipsadinae; Genus: Rhadinaea; Species: Rhadinaea flavilata
Southeastern United States, coastal plain regions from North Carolina south through Florida and west to extreme eastern Louisiana.
Look up Pine Woods Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Mildly venomous; opisthoglyphous (rear-fanged) but not dangerous to humans.
Danger Level
Harmless/Low Risk; small size and reluctant to bite makes them negligible threat to people or pets.
Family
Order: Squamata; Suborder: Serpentes; Family: Colubridae; Subfamily: Dipsadinae; Genus: Rhadinaea; Species: Rhadinaea flavilata
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN), though localized populations face threats from habitat loss and fire suppression in pine ecosystems.
Physical Description
Small, slender snake with smooth scales. Coloration is typically reddish-brown, tan, or orangey-brown. A dark line runs through the eye. The upper labial (lip) scales are distinctly yellow or cream-colored. Belly is usually unmarked yellowish-white.
Size & Dimensions
Specimen appears to be an adult around 10-12 inches. Species typically ranges from 10 to 13 inches (25-33 cm), with a maximum record of about 15.5 inches.
Habitat
Found in pine flatwoods, maritime forests, and damp pine-oak woodlands. They prefer microhabitats like rotting logs, leaf litter, and under loose bark.
Behavior & Temperament
Secretive, fossorial, and largely crepuscular or nocturnal. They are very docile and rarely attempt to bite even when handled, preferring to hide or flee.
Diet & Feeding
Specializes in small cold-blooded prey including frogs, small salamanders, and lizards. They use active foraging and mild venom to subdue prey.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay small clutches of 1 to 4 eggs during the summer months.
Venom Profile
Mildly toxic saliva used to subdue small prey. Non-medically significant to humans.
Look-alikes
Could be confused with Red-bellied Snakes (Storeria occipitomaculata) or Dekay's Brownsnakes, but Rhadinaea lacks the dorsal stripes/spots of Storeria and has smooth rather than keeled scales.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN), though localized populations face threats from habitat loss and fire suppression in pine ecosystems.
Cultural Significance
Ecologically important as a specialized predator in the declining Longleaf Pine ecosystem. They serve as indicators of healthy ground-layer biodiversity.
Notable Features
Often nicknamed the 'Yellow-lipped Snake' due to its diagnostic pale upper lip scales. They are rarely seen due to their highly secretive nature within the leaf litter.