Black swamp snake (Liodytes pygaea)
The black swamp snake is a non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. GBIF holds 576 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 4 states, most of all Florida (431), North Carolina (69) and South Carolina (69).
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The black swamp snake (Liodytes pygaea) is a species of snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States. There are three subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies.
From Wikipedia: Black swamp snake, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the black swamp snake poisonous or venomous?
No. The black swamp snake is non-venomous: it belongs to the family Colubridae, not to the pit vipers or coral snakes, the only U.S. land snakes with medically dangerous venom. It may bite if handled; clean the bite like any small wound.
Which states have the black swamp snake?
The black swamp snake's U.S. record is concentrated: Florida alone holds 75% of licensed records. It is listed in 4 states in all; the next are North Carolina (69), South Carolina (69) and Georgia (6).
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 431 | 2.1% | 10th of 49 |
| 2 | North Carolina | 69 | 0.3% | 31st of 39 |
| 3 | South Carolina | 69 | 1.9% | 23rd of 40 |
| 4 | Georgia | 6 | 0.1% | 39th of 44 |
Where the black swamp snake is recorded in each state
Florida
Florida holds 431 licensed records, the joint 10th most recorded of 49 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Florida come from Alachua County, Glades County and Marion County. Next come Highlands County (13) and Citrus County (11).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 69 licensed records, the joint 31st most recorded of 39 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in North Carolina come from Brunswick County, New Hanover County and Dare County. Next come Hyde County (3) and Onslow County (3).
South Carolina
South Carolina holds 69 licensed records, the 23rd most recorded of 40 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in South Carolina come from Aiken County, Charleston County and Berkeley County. Next come Chesterfield County (1) and Dorchester County (1).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alachua County | Florida | 197 | 34.2% |
| 2 | Glades County | Florida | 129 | 22.4% |
| 3 | Aiken County | South Carolina | 41 | 7.1% |
| 4 | Brunswick County | North Carolina | 25 | 4.3% |
| 5 | New Hanover County | North Carolina | 25 | 4.3% |
| 6 | Marion County | Florida | 17 | 3.0% |
| 7 | Highlands County | Florida | 13 | 2.3% |
| 8 | Charleston County | South Carolina | 12 | 2.1% |
| 9 | Berkeley County | South Carolina | 12 | 2.1% |
| 10 | Citrus County | Florida | 11 | 1.9% |
| 11 | Collier County | Florida | 8 | 1.4% |
| 12 | Hendry County | Florida | 8 | 1.4% |
| 13 | Lake County | Florida | 7 | 1.2% |
| 14 | Miami-Dade County | Florida | 6 | 1.0% |
| 15 | Polk County | Florida | 5 | 0.9% |
How recent are the black swamp snake records?
The black swamp snake record leans on older material: only 3% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1966. The oldest dated record is from 1914; the busiest year was 1947, with 97 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1920s | 19 | 3.4% |
| 1930s | 45 | 8.1% |
| 1940s | 138 | 24.8% |
| 1950s | 46 | 8.3% |
| 1960s | 51 | 9.2% |
| 1970s | 153 | 27.5% |
| 1980s | 37 | 6.7% |
| 1990s | 37 | 6.7% |
| 2000s | 6 | 1.1% |
| 2010s | 8 | 1.4% |
| 2020s | 15 | 2.7% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 31 counties where the black swamp snake is most recorded, 23 are also top counties for both the eastern rat snake and the mud snake; no other snake shares more. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Eastern rat snake | 23 |
| Mud snake | 23 |
| Southern watersnake | 22 |
| Rough greensnake | 21 |
| Corn snake | 20 |
| Eastern kingsnake | 20 |
| Eastern ribbonsnake | 20 |
| Scarlet snake | 20 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Colubridae with profiles here: Western terrestrial garter snake, Common garter snake, Gopher snake, Ring-necked snake, Northern water snake and Eastern racer.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.