Outdoor enthusiasts should be cautious about four main species of poisonous snakes: rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths (also known as water moccasins), and coral snakes. These four species make up the majority of the venomous snakes people should be concerned about.
In spite of this, there are over twenty species of poisonous snakes that are recognized in the United States, and the number increases even further when subspecies are taken into consideration.
Both Georgia and Florida, which are located in close proximity to one another, have the same number of snake species (46), including the same six species that are poisonous. This makes them two of the states in the United States that have the highest number of snakes.
The cottonmouth, copperhead, and eastern coral snakes are among the six species of snakes that are considered to be venomous. Included in this group are the eastern diamondback, timber, and pygmy rattlesnakes.
Rattlesnake of the Forest
Because of its distinctively dark tail, timber rattlesnakes are commonly referred to as “Velvet Tails.” These rattlesnakes are larger and heavier in body size. The bodies of these creatures are brown or pinkish-gray in color, and they have cross stripes that seem like black chevrons.
They are distinguished by the presence of pronounced pits on either side of their faces, which are located between the nose and the eye, and their heads are noticeably larger than their necks. The ability of rattlesnakes to locate and strike warm-blooded prey with pinpoint accuracy is facilitated by the heat-sensitive pits that they possess.
Timber rattlesnakes are only found in twelve counties in the extreme northern part of the Florida Panhandle. These areas are home to farms, hardwood hammocks, riverbeds, and wetlands. Despite their broad presence in the eastern United States, timber rattlesnakes are only found in these twelve counties.
It is possible to find timber rattlesnakes in a number of different settings in the northern region of Georgia, including the ridges of the Appalachian Mountains.
In the southern region of Georgia, they take up residence in the bottoms of creeks and rivers.
Mouth of Cotton
The name “cottonmouth” comes from the white, cotton-like inside of the lips of cottonmouth snakes, which they open as a warning when they feel threatened.
Snakes that are semi-aquatic are able to swim well and are comfortable both on land and in water. They are able to swim successfully. The pattern of crossbands on their bodies is a combination of light and dark brown, and they are thick and heavy snakes.
Within the state of Florida, cottonmouths are most commonly discovered in close proximity to bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, springs, marshes, and ditches along the sides of roadways. They are also found on a number of the islands that make up the Cedar Keys.
Not only can they be found in virtually every body of water in Georgia, such as lakes, rivers, and marshes, but they have also been spotted in Atlanta, which is the capital of the state.
The Diamondback of the East The rattlesnake
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the most common species of poisonous snake found in the United States, both in terms of its size and its historical reputation.
The backs of these diamonds are embellished with a row of black diamonds that are easily identifiable by their brown centers and beige edges.
They are pit vipers with a big body and a conspicuous rostral scale on their head. Additionally, they have keeled scales, each of which has a raised ridge.
It is possible for an adult eastern diamondback rattler to be anywhere from 33 and 72 inches longest. Due to the fact that they have a fatality rate of approximately thirty percent, they are considered to be the most lethal form of venom in North America.
There are rattlesnakes resident in each and every county in the Sunshine State, as well as on a number of the islands that are located in the Gulf of Mexico, including the Florida Keys and the Gulf Islands National Seashore.
In the state of Georgia, rattlers are typically discovered in longleaf pine forests, marshes, and swamps, as well as in sandy soils that are flat and located in the Coastal Plain south of the Fall Line.
Rattlesnake of the Pygmy
Unlike pit vipers, which have large heads, pygmy rattlesnakes are significantly smaller and have slender tails that end in a very small rattle that is almost impossible to detect. Its rattling is frequently mistaken for the buzzing sound of an insect, which results in confusion.
They are only about 5 inches long when they are born, but they can grow to reach anywhere between 12 and 24 inches long. Roughly nine enormous scales can be found on the head of the rattlesnake.
The pygmy rattlesnake is the most common species of poisonous snake found in the state of Florida. It is possible to find it all over the state of Florida, with the exception of the Florida Keys only.
The habitats that are most favorable for rattlers are low-lying areas, wetlands, pine flatwoods, cypress swamps, and sandhills.
Although they are most common in the Coastal Plain, they are also found in the central, northeastern, and northwest parts of Georgia. The Peach State is home to several species.
Due to the fact that they are defensive in nature, these snakes only bite infrequently, and when they do bite, the amount of venom that they emit is not substantial enough to be fatal to people.
The Copperhead in the East
Copperheads are renowned for their ability to blend in with their surroundings, making them exceptionally skilled in the art of camouflage. In addition to having hefty bodies, these snakes are either brown or tan in color, and they have darker hourglass shapes on their heads.
In spite of the fact that they almost always grow to be between 24 and 30 inches in length, the longest copperhead that has ever been measured was 53 inches.
In addition to upland pine and mixed woods that have a lot of leaves and forest debris to hide in, copperheads prefer low, moist areas that are close to marshes, stream beds, river bottoms, and damp ravines. Copperheads also prefer areas that are close to rivers.
The only place in Florida where copperhead snakes may be found is in the Panhandle region, and they are most commonly found in the westernmost point of the state as well as the Apalachicola River and its tributaries.
In Georgia, the copperhead, which is located in the southeast of the state, is the most common type of poisonous snake that inhabitants encounter.
A Coral Snake from the East
As a result of their long, slender bodies and distinctive appearance, eastern coral snakes are quite simple to recognize. The bodies of the snakes are encircled by a pattern of bands that differ in color from red to black to yellow.
They range in length from twenty to thirty-six inches. Although they belong to the family Elapidae, which also includes sea snakes, cobras, and mambas, these deadly snakes are not pit vipers. They are members of the family Sea Snakes.
Key Largo, located in the northern Florida Keys, is the only place in the state of Florida where eastern coral snakes may be found.
A wide range of habitats, including low, moist hammocks and the edges of swamps, as well as dry, well-drained flatwoods and scrub regions, are suitable for their growth and development.
Their preferred hiding spots are woodpiles and logs that have rotted away, and they commonly conceal themselves behind debris and dirt that is soft.
Florida to Come Out on Top
The states of Florida and Georgia are home to an astounding variety of venomous snakes, with each state having 46 species of snakes, including six species that are commonly found in the venomous category.
On the other hand, it is impossible to decide which state is home to the most hazardous snakes due to a variety of reasons, including the fact that snakes are elusive, that they are afraid of people, and that they are able to combine themselves with their environment.
Environmental factors that affect snake diversity and density, habitat loss, and climate change further complicate comparisons. These factors also affect the diversity and density of snakes.
In spite of the fact that Georgia also provides a wide range of habitats, the conditions that are ideal for the widespread distribution of these species are provided by the large wetlands, tropical regions, and subtropical climate that are found in Florida.
Because of its extensive distribution, Florida may be able to overtake Georgia as a hotspot for poisonous snakes by a slight margin; nonetheless, the two states are quite close.