Discover the Largest Black Swamp Snake Ever Recorded

The black swamp snake is a small, aquatic, non-venomous snake that is endemic to the southeastern United States. Three subspecies are recognized as valid: south Florida swamp snake (Liodytes pygaea cycles), north Florida swamp snake (Liodytes pygaea pygaea), and Carolina swamp snake (Liodytes pygaea paludis). At 10 to 15 inches, this black snake is fairly small, and its color allows it to blend easily with its surroundings. But how big do these little slithering creatures get? What is the largest black swamp snake ever found? Let’s find out!

What Does the Black Swamp Snake Look Like?

The black swamp snake is a small snake that is shiny black on the dorsum and has a bright red or orange belly with black markings on the edges. The scales on the body are smooth. The head is about the same size as the neck. Females have longer and heavier bodies than males, while males have longer and thicker tails. 

As swamp snakes are aquatic snakes, they may be confused with similar small mud snakes. However, mud snakes can be differentiated by their red coloration that extends to their sides and a black checkerboard pattern on their belly. Black swamp snakes can also be confused with terrestrial red-bellied black snakes because they have similar red/orange belly patterns. However, the solid black dorsal coloration and aquatic habits of swamp snakes distinguish them from terrestrial red-bellied snakes. 

Largest Black Swamp Snake Ever Found 

The black swamp snake is a fairly small, thin snake, and adults measure approximately 10 to 15 inches, including the tail. However, longer specimens have been observed. In fact, the largest black swamp snake ever found measured 24.5 inches long. 

Black Swamp Snakes: Habitat

The black swamp snake is widely distributed across South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. Its range extends from the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States from eastern North Carolina west to southern Alabama and Florida, extending up to 150 to 180 km (93 to 112 miles) inland from Georgia and South Carolina coasts. 

Black swamp snakes occupy various open aquatic habitats, including swampy areas, marshes, sphagnum bogs, bay heads, Carolina bays, wet grassy prairies, and roadside ditches. They are also found inhabiting the borders of heavily vegetated wetlands, ponds, and lakes. Within the water, they are active both during the day and at night.

Black swamp snakes are docile and extremely secretive. Even though they are abundant in some habitats, they are rarely seen, even by experienced herpetologists. These shy little snakes prefer to hide among vegetation in water or under debris at the water’s edge, particularly on sunny spring days. But occasionally, this species has been found crossing roads during the summer after heavy rainy nights. They may also travel on land when pond basins dry up. 

Black Swamp Snake: Behavior & Diet

The black swamp snake is a non-venomous species and is not dangerous to people or pets. When threatened, these docile snakes typically do not bite in defense, but instead attempt to escape quickly. Because they live under submerged vegetation, people sometimes step on this snake which could cause it to be forced to bite in self-defense. Though they do not have venom glands in their mouth, direct handling should also be avoided, as a bite may cause mild reactions ranging from itching and swelling to nausea and dizziness. 

Black swamp snakes feed on aquatic prey, including tadpoles, small fish, frogs, sirens, salamanders, and invertebrates, such as earthworms and leeches. They are ambush predators and swallow their prey alive without first constricting them. They have a variety of predators, with birds being some of the most common.

Breeding season for this species starts from August through October. The black swamp snake is ovoviviparous. This means that the females give birth to live young ones (about 11 to 13), typically directly in shallow water. Unlike many other snake species, females feed actively while gravid, suggesting they may pass nutrients to the young. 

Black swamp snakes have an average lifespan of about seven years when left in the wild. However, they can live up to about 20 years when in captivity.

Black swamp snakes are listed as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Their population is relatively stable. However, little is known about this species’ status in most areas because of its secretive and highly aquatic habits. They also rely heavily on fishless wetlands, making them vulnerable to habitat destruction. For this reason, this species is of conservation concern throughout its range.

Other Record-Breaking Snakes

After reading about the largest black swamp snake, you may want to turn your attention to another semi-aquatic snake of the south — the largest Mississippi green water snake. Green water snakes are among the most common snakes found in Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, and Louisiana. These water-loving reptiles live in cypress swamps and the Mississippi lowlands and grow up to 45 inches or longer. This non-venomous snake has a thick, medium-sized body in a dark green color — mostly olive with numerous faint, olive-brown, or dark-brown patterns that alternate down its back and flanks.

Green water snakes are non-venomous and are not constrictors, so they ambush their prey quickly and eat them while they are still alive. They are semi-aquatic, with a diet consisting of frogs, salamanders, toads, minnows, crayfish, small rodents, and other reptiles. How big is the largest Mississippi green water snake ever recorded? It’s over 45 inches long!