By Erin Cashion

After the stay-at-home order was enacted to slow the Covid-19 pandemic in Ohio and other US states, many of us are finding more time on our hands, and are choosing to spend it outside as the weather warms and spring returns. People are walking in their neighborhoods, sitting on front or back porches, or working on their Victory Gardens.

As a result, folks are taking the time to observe nature and wildlife. Helpful pollinators like bees and butterflies, the return of migratory songbirds, and familiar suburban denizens as rabbits and deer are being noticed and welcomed with enthusiasm; but some of our wild neighbors do not garner the same reaction.

With the warming weather, snakes are also emerging from their winter hibernacula to find food and mates. Springtime usually brings an increase in snake sightings, but with many more people outside than usual, the reports (and the fear) seem to be at an all-time high.

Ohio is home to about 33 species of snake, and only 3 of them are venomous. I'll cover the 4 most common snakes in Ohio and our 3 venomous species a little later, but for now I want to touch on some of the methods used to distinguish venomous snakes from harmless ones, and why they are unreliable.

Common Defensive Behaviors, or how NOT to tell venomous and nonvenomous snakes apart

Many traits and behaviors thought to be diagnostic of venomous snakes are actually common to many harmless species. I'll go over the top four venomous snake identification myths below.

Myth #2: Buzzing tail = Venomous

In fact, many nonvenomous snakes will vibrate or "buzz" their tails when agitated. The resulting sound can be startling, and can sound very much like the buzz of a rattlesnake. It's often mistakenly said that they are “imitating” rattlesnakes, but in fact the tail-vibrating behavior is so widespread among venomous and non-venomous snakes that it likely evolved before the rattle – so the rattle just augmented an adaptive behavior that was already present.

Ohio’s four most common nonvenomous snakes

1. Gray/Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis)

This lanky species is the longest and most common snake in Ohio. It can be up to 7 feet long, but they are usually between 4-6 feet long. It was formerly lumped with 3 other similar-looking ratsnake species that were collectively called the “Black Ratsnake”, Elaphe obsoleta. They are also sometimes called pilot snakes, chicken snakes, or oak snakes. They are closely related to the smaller corn snake or red rat snake (Pantherophis guttatus), which are often kept as pets.

They are extremely effective pest control – far superior to any barn cat – and help prevent the spread of diseases that rodents carry and spread such as Lyme, hantavirus, and bubonic plague. In addition to rats and mice, they will also eat bird eggs and nestlings if given the opportunity. They are most often encountered by humans in barns, attics, building rafters, and chicken coops. When encountered, they often kink their body and lay completely still in an attempt to escape detection. This “kinking” of the body (below) is very distinctive, and diagnostic of North American rat snakes in general.

3. The Eastern Gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis)

This colorful snake is named for the stripes that run the length of its body, which resembled the striped stocking garters that were once fashionable.

Once above ground in spring they congregate into masses, which are almost always comprised of one larger female and many smaller males – not a mother and babies, as often assumed. Garter snakes are inquisitive and active snakes and will sometimes approach people or pets, but if threatened they tend to flee rather than stand their ground. They are mistaken for venomous species somewhat less often due to their distinctive stripes.

4. The Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon)

As its name suggests, this stout-bodied snake inhabits creeks and waterways and preys on fish and frogs. It is usually 3-4 feet long as an adult, but larger individuals have been reported. This common species is the one most often confused with copperheads and cottonmouths throughout its range. This patterned snake can range in color from brown and black to brick red and orange, and its face has a “froggy” appearance due to its slightly bulging eyes.

In areas frequented by anglers they can habituate to human presence, and have been known to approach people hoping for an easy meal of the dazed, too-small fish and offal that anglers discard. If accosted, the watersnake will not hesitate to defend itself by attempting to bite, but like all snakes it will flee if given the chance. Its pale-colored mouth and “feisty” reputation leads to many cases of mistaken identity. People misidentify watersnakes as water moccasins/cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) so often that it's become a joke among snake enthusiasts.

Look for a barred upper lip to distinguish this harmless neighbor from the venomous copperhead and cottonmouth (but note that the latter does not occur in Ohio!).