How to Identify Snakes by Their Markings

Snakes can be identified in many ways: geographical location, habitat, size, shape, texture, behavior or even scale type. Their markings, however, are key to identifying the particular species to which they belong. Snakes come in a variety of colors with diverse patterns rivaling tropical fish and birds in their brilliance and symphony of interlocking shapes. Snakes can run the gamut from having a single uniform color such as the green tree pit viper or northern black racer, to the intracacies of the oriental carpet-like Kirtlands snake or Gaboon viper. Common pattern types include stripes, bands, spots, blotches or geometric shapes.

Things You'll Need

  • Field guide
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Consult a field guide to identify snakes by their markings. Look for a field guide in your local bookstore, library or nature center.

    • 2

      Go online to a regional (statewide) website that organizes snake species by color and patterns to familiarize yourself with identifying markings.

    • 3

      Identify snakes with uniform (solid) colors commonly black, brown, tan, orange, yellow, gray, blue or green. These snakes are easiest to identify because they have no markings.

    • 4

      Identify snakes that have spots (small rounded marks usually without a border), blotches (large squarish or irregular-shaped markings, frequently with dark borders) or speckles (small flecks of color).

    • 5

      Identify snakes by their cross bands (running across the back and down the sides) or stripes (lines running lengthwise).

    • 6

      Identify snakes by their diamond patterns often with dark borders or dark and light borders.