Can anyone tell me if a Scarlet Kingsnake can be found in NY State?

Question

I am deathly afraid of snakes and I'm trying to work through my fear. It stems from a childhood incident when I saw what I always thought was a water moccasin. Looking at pictures, however, I noticed that the coral snake looks like what I saw that day. Being as they aren't normally found in NY, I thought I'd look into any look alikes. I found the Scarlet Kingsnake, but can't find anywhere if they can be found in NY. If you can help I'd really appreciate it. I think if I find out the snake I saw wasn't poisonous, it'll help me get over my fear. Please, no rude or disrespectful answers.

Answer 1

http://www.esf.edu/PUBPROG/brochure/snakes/snakes.htm
gives a list of snakes that are found in New York.

My guide to US wildlife lists the scarlet kingsnake as a south-eastern race, while http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet_kingsnake
says that it is mainly found in Florida

The water moccasin is sometimes known as a cottonmouth., but I don't think that it is found in New York either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cottonmouth says
"Harmless water snakes (those of the genus Nerodia) are far more common than the cottonmouth, and will sometimes act aggressively and flatten their head to mimic the shape of the pit viper's head. This behavior can be very convincing to people not experienced with these snakes"

It is noticeable that the Northern Water Snake is listed amongst the species in New York, so I would suggest that that is what you saw.

Another possibility is the Copperhead. Having seen one recently (in Texas), I can confirm that it was far too busy sunning itself above a pool of water to even notice any bystanders (http://pbolchover.smugmug.com/photos/93498644-M-1.jpg)

Answer 2

It is normally found throughout Florida. There have been 2 specimens reported from the keys, one from Key Largo and the other from Key West. Outside of Florida, it is found from eastern Louisiana to southern New Jersey. This is not to say that someone has not taken one to New York as a pet.

Comments: they are not piousness and are reluctant to bite. The scarlet king snake is active primarily at night. It is mainly a terrestrial burrower, yet it can climb extremely well. Although rarely seen due to its fossorial behavior, it can be found under rocks, inside logs, and under tree bark on dead, standing trees.

It feeds on small lizards, rodents, and other snakes.

It lays eggs. Breeding occurs from March-June. Usually 2-9 eggs are laid between May-August. Newborns are very small, from 3-3.5 inches (7.6-8.8 cm) in length.

Comparison with other species: The scarlet king snake is frequently mistaken for the venomous coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) or the non-venomous scarlet snake (Cemophora cocinnea), but it really is easy to distinguish between the three species. A mnemonic rhyme may help you distinguish the coral snake from the two harmless species:

'If red touches yellow, it can kill a fellow' (coral snake)
'If red touches black, it is a friend of Jack' (scarlet kingsnake or scarlet snake)

Answer 3

This website shows a map of the range for this snake -- and the map does not include New York.

http://milksnakes.com/encyclopedia/elapsoides.htm