That's the one I thought, due to range, but the lack of a solid black head kept me from being sure. I reckon there's some variation in coloring, most likely? Sweet little snakes, aren't they? Of course, my favorite small snake is the rough green snake. They are such a lovely color, and very passive little guys, usually. And they have bright orange tongues, which really look pretty with their coloring. I've never seen one longer than about 2 feet, and usually much smaller, though my books says they can reach 45" or so. I like their pretty faces! Actually, it has been some years since I've seen one of these. I don't know if they are disappearing or not. Will have to look into that, or maybe Wayne knows, if he isn't tired of our snakey posts yet! Kate, is your crowned snake alive in the pics? Can't quite tell. Hope so! Marcia

Marcia, Please help me find out what kind of snake I came across today. While I was at the local dog park (near Orlando) I came across a yellow with black stripes snake. It looked to be between 3.5-4 feet long and did not appear at first glance (that was all I gave it out of fear) to be shiny. I was about 3 feet from it and didn't know it until my dog almost stepped on it. She obviously didn't see it either. The snake seemed a pit peeved about the whole thing but it decided not to attack and to slowly slither towards ME to get away from my dog. Needless to say, I took off in a different direction real quick and hollered for my dog to follow. I am not like you or others on this site. I am not a fan of snakes and am extremely afraid of them. Although, I don't mind the black racers that seem to have taken up permanent residence in MY back yard and they love to procreate often (or so it seems). I have seen a lot less field rats since the racers moved in and that makes me very happy. Anyway, can you help me figure out what this snake was? I have spent hours and hours online tonight trying to find it and just can't seem to find anything that looks like it. I am guessing that it is not dangerous to me or my dogs??? I am scared to take my dogs back through those woods that they so dearly love. As soon as I told them, "No more woods until the snakes are gone again," they "told" me to find it if it was dangerous or not and if it isn't that they want to go back again. So that is mostly why I am asking you for your help. We all love the walks but I am afraid of the snakes. Please help me feel safer about going back. Thanks in advance for your help.

Not trying to stir the pot, but both non posionous and even posionous snakes eat lots of pests we don't want in out gardens, sheds or homes. Killing them really isn't nessecary and they can be moved with a snake hook or even a shovel. Killing animals just because they are there and I don't like them seems like a poor excuse. No flame inteneded, but it would be better to throw them back in the woods. I've been bitten by a copperhead and it was my fault and I didn't kill him because he happened to be posionous and I was handling him incorrectly. I'm far from being a tree hugger, I hunt and fish, but don't think the idea of killing because you don't like an animal is very sporting. Garter snakes are great around the garden as they eat slugs and so will baby copperheads.

Most of the cottonmouths I have seen on land move in a very straight line. When you say body partially above the surface do you mean that it looked like a snake on top of the water as though it were gliding across an ice rink or a snake partly submerged and partly above water with the head above water? What county are you in, in Missouri? Plainbelly Water Snakes in Missouri and very large Northern Water Snakes (most smaller ones have a distinct pattern which you are probably familiar with) can also be solid colored. And terrestrial snakes will also swin some time. Its a good description but from the description it is hard to say one way or the other.