Pine woods snake (Rhadinaea flavilata)
The pine woods snake is a snake in the family Colubridae with a mild venom for its prey, not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 338 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 5 states, most of all North Carolina (185), Florida (103) and South Carolina (26). Its observation records peak in March.
The pine woods snake (Rhadinaea flavilata), also commonly known as the yellow-lipped snake and the brown-headed snake, is a secretive species of snake in the subfamily Dipsadinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to scattered locations across the southeastern United States. Rhadinaea flavilata is rear-fanged and mildly venomous, but not dangerous to humans.
From Wikipedia: Pine woods snake, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the pine woods snake poisonous or venomous?
Mildly venomous but not dangerous: the pine woods snake has enlarged rear teeth and a mild venom for its prey, and a bite causes at most local swelling, which is why many sources simply call it harmless. It is not a pit viper or coral snake, the only U.S. land snakes with medically dangerous venom. Clean any bite like a small wound.
Which states have the pine woods snake?
The pine woods snake's U.S. record is concentrated: North Carolina alone holds 55% of licensed records. It is listed in 5 states in all; the next are Florida (103), South Carolina (26) and Mississippi (15).
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 185 | 0.9% | 27th of 39 |
| 2 | Florida | 103 | 0.5% | 30th of 49 |
| 3 | South Carolina | 26 | 0.7% | 31st of 40 |
| 4 | Mississippi | 15 | 0.8% | 28th of 38 |
| 5 | Alabama | 6 | 0.1% | 42nd of 44 |
When is the pine woods snake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the pine woods snake run mostly February through October, peaking in March with 13% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 17% of them.
Where the pine woods snake is recorded in each state
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 185 licensed records, the 27th most recorded of 39 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in North Carolina come from Sampson County, New Hanover County and Carteret County. Next come Bladen County (16) and Brunswick County (15).
Florida
Florida holds 103 licensed records, the 30th most recorded of 49 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Florida run through most of the year, peaking in March; most licensed records come from Alachua County, Marion County and Duval County. Next come Orange County (10) and Hillsborough County (6).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sampson County | North Carolina | 45 | 13.3% |
| 2 | New Hanover County | North Carolina | 36 | 10.7% |
| 3 | Carteret County | North Carolina | 26 | 7.7% |
| 4 | Alachua County | Florida | 20 | 5.9% |
| 5 | Bladen County | North Carolina | 16 | 4.7% |
| 6 | Brunswick County | North Carolina | 15 | 4.4% |
| 7 | Pender County | North Carolina | 15 | 4.4% |
| 8 | Marion County | Florida | 13 | 3.8% |
| 9 | Duval County | Florida | 10 | 3.0% |
| 10 | Orange County | Florida | 10 | 3.0% |
| 11 | Onslow County | North Carolina | 9 | 2.7% |
| 12 | Dare County | North Carolina | 7 | 2.1% |
| 13 | Hillsborough County | Florida | 6 | 1.8% |
| 14 | Craven County | North Carolina | 5 | 1.5% |
| 15 | Okeechobee County | Florida | 4 | 1.2% |
How recent are the pine woods snake records?
The pine woods snake record leans on older material: only 28% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1979. The oldest dated record is from 1898; the busiest year was 1971, with 16 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 5 | 1.5% |
| 1910s | 5 | 1.5% |
| 1920s | 1 | 0.3% |
| 1930s | 19 | 5.9% |
| 1940s | 7 | 2.2% |
| 1950s | 17 | 5.3% |
| 1960s | 35 | 10.8% |
| 1970s | 73 | 22.6% |
| 1980s | 30 | 9.3% |
| 1990s | 15 | 4.6% |
| 2000s | 11 | 3.4% |
| 2010s | 39 | 12.1% |
| 2020s | 66 | 20.4% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 30 counties where the pine woods snake is most recorded, 18 are also top counties for the eastern rat snake, more than for any other snake. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Eastern rat snake | 18 |
| Southern watersnake | 16 |
| Scarlet kingsnake | 15 |
| Scarlet snake | 15 |
| Corn snake | 14 |
| Eastern kingsnake | 14 |
| Eastern racer | 14 |
| Coachwhip | 13 |
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.