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Snakes in Kansas

The quickest way to know which snakes live in Kansas is to see what people are actually finding. The map below shows recent, verified snakes sightings across Kansas, and the list beneath it is the snakes recorded most often there lately. Most are harmless, and each species page flags whether it is venomous, so you can learn the few worth treating with care. Identify a snake from a distance and from a photo, and never handle one.

Recent research-grade sightings from the iNaturalist community, filtered to snakes across Kansas.

Snakes seen most often in Kansas

Ranked by recent research-grade observations. Tap any species Huck has catalogued for how to identify it, its habitat, and its safety notes.

Ring-necked Snake
Diadophis punctatus
2,531 observations
Western Ratsnake
Pantherophis obsoletus
1,889 observations
Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
1,648 observations
North American Racer
Coluber constrictor
1,321 observations
Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer
1,277 observations
Common Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon
1,237 observations
DeKay's Brownsnake
Storeria dekayi
1,157 observations
Eastern Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix
1,041 observations
Plain-bellied Watersnake
Nerodia erythrogaster
691 observations
Prairie Rattlesnake
Crotalus viridis
576 observations
Prairie Kingsnake
Lampropeltis calligaster
544 observations
Lined Snake
Tropidoclonion lineatum
538 observations
Speckled Kingsnake
Lampropeltis holbrooki
515 observations
Western Milksnake
Lampropeltis gentilis
510 observations
Western Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis proximus
482 observations
Great Plains Ratsnake
Pantherophis emoryi
446 observations
Plains Garter Snake
Thamnophis radix
428 observations
Diamondback Watersnake
Nerodia rhombifer
421 observations
Flat-headed Snake
Tantilla gracilis
406 observations
Western Worm Snake
Carphophis vermis
324 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and the ranking reflects where people record wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily common everywhere in Kansas. Treat this as a live snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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More wildlife in Kansas

All wildlife in KansasFrogs in KansasTurtles in KansasLizards in KansasSalamanders in KansasOwls in KansasButterflies in KansasSpiders in KansasWildflowers in Kansas

Looking more widely? See snakes near you anywhere in the country.

Common questions

What snakes live in Kansas?

Commonly recorded snakes in Kansas include Ring-necked Snake, Western Ratsnake, Common Garter Snake, North American Racer, Gopher Snake, based on recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. The full list below is ranked by how often each has been seen lately.

Which snakes in Kansas are venomous?

Identify the species rather than relying on folk rules about head or pupil shape. Across the United States the venomous snakes are the rattlesnakes, copperhead, cottonmouth and coral snakes; which of those occur in Kansas varies, and each species page carries a safety note. If someone is bitten, seek medical help immediately.

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