fieldherpingphotos

This page is dedicated to snakes found in the wild.

Background information will be provided for reptiles found during herping trips along with photos of others
to help you identify snakes you may come across in nature.
We do not recommend interfering with natural activity, handling or removing any snake found in the wild,
unless there is certainty of its type and more than one person is present for safety reasons. Any reptile that
is removed from the wild should be returned to that same location.

If you would like to submit photos and information of
herps you have found in the wild email the photo and
information of where it was caught to the webmaster
and they will get added to the site as well.

Found in Spring hill KS May 2006. This is a very common snake to find in your back yard or
in the woods. Generally they hide under wood piles or near barns where they can find
rodents. Younger snakes are generally dark gray with black splotched patterning and red
tipping around some scales. This wild caught had no red tipping like most do which is a
point of interest. Black Rat snakes lose patterning as they get older and eventually turn all
black with red tipping and a white under body with possibly only a faint pattern showing.

This animal was found in Louisburg Kansas under an
old tin pile and was quite calm for handling.This
snake is commonly found in fields and under old tin
piles or wood piles. It is often mistaken for a
bullsnake and subsequently killed due to fear and
misunderstanding. However, this king snake is very
good to have around because it is docile, eats other
snakes , including the poisonous ones and also
feeds on rodents. The prairie king is very mild
mannered to handle and often raised in captivity as
pets.

Click on picture to enlarge