Rough Green Snake
Opheodrys aestivus · Colubridae
Also called: Grass Snake, Green Grass Snake
A gentle, bright-green insect-eater that lives in bushes and is almost impossible to see against leaves. One of the most harmless snakes in North America.
What the Rough Green Snake looks like
How to identify it
- 1Vivid leaf-green back with a yellow or cream belly
- 2Very slender body and long tail
- 3Keeled (slightly rough) scales
- 4Large eyes and a gentle disposition
Snakes it's confused with
Nearly identical but with smooth scales and a more northern range.
Behavior & danger to humans
Calm and slow; relies entirely on camouflage and almost never bites.
✓ Good news: Completely harmless. A welcome garden insect-eater.
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.