Mud Snake

The mud snake is a large, secretive semi-aquatic species of the southeastern United States, known for its striking iridescent black dorsal surface contrasted with a bold red-and-black checkerboard belly pattern. It is closely associated with aquatic prey, particularly large salamanders known as amphiumas and sirens.

Despite folklore claiming it can sting with its tail, the mud snake is entirely harmless to humans, non-venomous, and extremely reluctant to bite.

• Smooth, glossy black or dark bluish-black dorsal coloration
• Belly boldly patterned with alternating red (or pink) and black checkered bars, sometimes extending faintly onto the lower sides
• Stout, muscular body with a small head barely distinct from the neck
• Small eyes with round pupils
• Tail ends in a small, hardened, pointed scale used to press against prey or substrate, sometimes mistaken for a stinger
• Adults commonly 1-1.8 m, among the largest native colubrids in its range

Found in swamps, marshes, floodplains, drainage ditches, and slow-moving streams throughout the coastal plain of the southeastern United States, from Virginia south to Florida and west to Texas. Highly aquatic, spending much of its time in shallow water or moist mud, and rarely found far from permanent water sources.

Primarily nocturnal and highly aquatic, most active during warm, humid nights. Specializes in preying on large aquatic salamanders such as amphiumas and sirens, using its pointed tail tip to help pin struggling prey.

Extremely docile and almost never bites, relying instead on defensive tail movements. It is an egg-laying species, with females depositing clutches that can number up to several dozen eggs in moist nest sites near water.