Snakes and spiders in Hyde County, North Carolina
Hyde County, home of Swan Quarter, has 19 snake and 2 spider species on record, from 433 licensed snake and 13 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead, the pygmy rattlesnake, the northern cottonmouth and the timber rattlesnake.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Hyde County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 25 licensed records, 2% of all North Carolina records of it. The pygmy rattlesnake: 17 licensed records, 52% of all North Carolina records of it. The northern cottonmouth: 13 licensed records, 2% of all North Carolina records of it. The timber rattlesnake: 3 licensed records, 5% of all North Carolina records of it.
What snakes are in Hyde County?
In all, 19 snake species are on the Hyde County list. The most recorded are the eastern racer (39), the rough greensnake (36) and the plain-bellied watersnake (35). Hyde County holds more than half of all North Carolina records of the pygmy rattlesnake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 39 | 3% |
| 2 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 36 | 4% |
| 3 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 35 | 7% |
| 4 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 25 | 2% |
| 5 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 25 | 1% |
| 6 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 25 | 11% |
| 7 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 25 | 2% |
| 8 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 23 | 2% |
| 9 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 22 | 2% |
| 10 | Rough earthsnake Haldea striatula | 20 | 3% |
| 11 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 19 | 4% |
| 12 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 18 | 3% |
| 13 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 17 | 2% |
| 14 | Pygmy rattlesnake venomous Sistrurus miliarius | 17 | 52% |
| 15 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 13 | 2% |
| 16 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 12 | 1% |
| 17 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 11 | 1% |
| 18 | Mud snake Farancia abacura | 7 | 1% |
| 19 | Timber rattlesnake venomous Crotalus horridus | 3 | 5% |
What stands out in Hyde County
Species for which Hyde County holds a large share of all North Carolina records: the pygmy rattlesnake, 52% (17 of 33).
Common in North Carolina, not on the Hyde County list
Among the snakes most recorded across North Carolina, these do not reach the county list: the ring-necked snake (1,305 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Hyde County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the plain-bellied watersnake, the eastern rat snake, the northern water snake and the eastern hog-nosed snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the plain-bellied watersnake, the northern water snake, the southern watersnake and the mud snake. Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the eastern hog-nosed snake.
Hyde County among North Carolina counties
By licensed snake records Hyde County ranks 14th of 100 North Carolina counties with any.
Other North Carolina counties with their own page: Wake County, Sampson County, Columbus County, Durham County, Moore County, Orange County, Dare County and Brunswick County.
The whole state: venomous species in North Carolina, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.