Black Racer
Coluber constrictor · Colubridae
Also called: Southern Black Racer, Eastern Racer
A slender, fast, harmless snake that flees at high speed when disturbed. Often mistaken for something dangerous because of its dark color and nervous, alert behavior.
What the Black Racer looks like
How to identify it
- 1Uniform satiny black or dark gray body with a pale chin and belly
- 2Large eyes and a slender, athletic build
- 3Smooth scales that give a glossy sheen
- 4Juveniles are gray with bold blotches (very different from adults)
Snakes it's confused with
Also black, but heavier-bodied and a slower climber.
Behavior & danger to humans
Despite the name 'constrictor' it rarely constricts; it races away and may vibrate its tail in leaves to bluff.
✓ Good news: Harmless. A beneficial, fast-moving predator of pests.
Related snakes
Non-venomousCorn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus
A harmless, beneficial constrictor and one of the most popular pet snakes in the world. Frequently mistaken for the venomous copperhead.
Non-venomousEastern Ratsnake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
A large, harmless constrictor and one of the best natural rodent controllers around homes and farms. Juveniles are gray and blotched, leading to copperhead confusion.
Non-venomousNorthern Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon
A harmless aquatic snake constantly killed out of fear that it is a cottonmouth. It bites readily when grabbed but has no venom.
Non-venomousScarlet Kingsnake
Lampropeltis elapsoides
A harmless coral snake mimic. Its red bands touch black bands — 'red touches black, friend of Jack' — separating it from the venomous coral snake.