Corn Snake

Corn Snake

Pantherophis guttatus

Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Big Cypress National Preserve
78 Verified sightings at Big Cypress National Preserve From 2019 to 2026
449 Verified sightings across all 4 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted Active throughout day and night

About the Corn Snake

The corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus), sometimes called the Red Rat Snake is a species of North American rat snake in the family Colubridae. The species subdues its small prey by constriction. It is found throughout the southeastern and central United States. Though superficially resembling the venomous copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) and often killed as a result of this mistaken identity, the corn snake lacks functional venom and is harmless to humans. The corn snake is beneficial to humans because it helps control populations of wild rodent pests that damage crops and spread disease.

The corn snake is named for the species' regular presence near grain stores, where it preys on mice and rats that eat harvested corn (maize). The Oxford English Dictionary cites this usage as far back as 1675, whilst other sources maintain that the corn snake is so-named because the distinctive, nearly-checkered pattern of the snake's belly scales resembles the kernels of variegated corn.

The genus name Panthērophis literally means "panther snake" in reference to the snake's panther-like skin pattern; from Ancient Greek: πάνθηρ : pánthēr "panther", and Ancient Greek: ὄφις : óphis... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
~40%
2 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
3 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Corn Snake in Big Cypress National Preserve?

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Corn Snake sighting in Big Cypress National Preserve, based on 78 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Corn Snake in Big Cypress National Preserve?

May has the highest sighting rate for Corn Snake in Big Cypress National Preserve in our monthly data.

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