05/29/2026
Four venomous snakes in the eastern US. Four. The rest — dozens of species — are harmless. Most snake encounters in the yard are with species that eat mice, slugs, and earthworms.
The eastern rat snake climbing the shed wall is hunting rodents. The garter snake in the garden bed is eating slugs. The ring-necked snake under the rock is six inches long and eats earthworms. The hognose flattens her neck like a cobra, strikes with her mouth closed, and if that fails — rolls over and plays dead.
🌿 The one-glance rule that covers most encounters:
Round pupils and a slender head — almost always harmless.
Vertical pupils, triangular head, and a pit between the eye and nostril — venomous pit viper.
The coral snake is the exception — round pupils, venomous, but extremely reclusive. Bites are rare.
🐾 When unsure: watch from a distance. Most snakes leave on their own within minutes. The one in the yard is almost certainly one of the harmless ones 🌿
