Scarlet Snake

Photo taken by Mo Kieffer at Okeeheelee Nature Center, used with permission.

A family brought in this Scarlet Snake (Cemophora coccina) that their cat attacked this summer to the Okeeheelee Nature Center where my roommate works. This is just one more reason why cats should be kept indoors. Not only do they hurt migrating songbirds but they also do a lot of damage to herp populations. Scarlet Snakes are found mostly in the Coastal Plain areas of the Southeast. The Florida subspecies of Scarlet Snake is Cemophora coccinea cocinea and is only found south of Central Florida. Their diet is mostly other reptile eggs.