Eastern fox snake (Pantherophis vulpinus)
The eastern fox snake is a non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. GBIF holds 492 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 9 states, most of all Ohio (127), Illinois (83) and Wisconsin (78). Its observation records peak in May.
Pantherophis vulpinus, commonly known as the foxsnake or the eastern fox snake, is a species of nonvenomous rat snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to North America.
From Wikipedia: Pantherophis vulpinus, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the eastern fox snake poisonous or venomous?
No. The eastern fox snake is non-venomous: it belongs to the family Colubridae, not to the pit vipers or coral snakes, the only U.S. land snakes with medically dangerous venom. It may bite if handled; clean the bite like any small wound.
Often mistaken for
The eastern fox snake is non-venomous, but people often take it for rattlesnakes (both are recorded in 9 of its 9 states).
Which states have the eastern fox snake?
Records are spread over 9 states; the top three, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin, hold 59% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | 127 | 2.1% | 9th of 25 |
| 2 | Illinois | 83 | 3.0% | 10th of 33 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 78 | 7.9% | 3rd of 16 |
| 4 | Michigan | 67 | 1.3% | 13th of 17 |
| 5 | Iowa | 48 | 4.6% | 7th of 22 |
| 6 | South Dakota | 31 | 1.0% | 12th of 16 |
| 7 | Indiana | 29 | 1.3% | 18th of 27 |
| 8 | Nebraska | 15 | 0.6% | 21st of 31 |
| 9 | Minnesota | 10 | 1.1% | 14th of 15 |
When is the eastern fox snake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the eastern fox snake run mostly April through September, peaking in May with 25% of them. Almost none are from December to February.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in April (Illinois and Wisconsin) and latest in May (Ohio). The most common peak month is May, shared by Ohio and Wisconsin.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | April through September | June | 65 |
| Ohio | May through September | May | 55 |
| Wisconsin | April through September | May | 45 |
Where the eastern fox snake is recorded in each state
Ohio
Ohio holds 127 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 25 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly May through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Erie County, Lucas County and Ottawa County. Next come Wyandot County (2) and Delaware County (1).
Illinois
Illinois holds 83 licensed records, the 10th most recorded of 33 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Illinois run mostly April through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Will County, DuPage County and Champaign County. Next come Cook County (7) and McHenry County (7).
Wisconsin
Wisconsin holds 78 licensed records, the 3rd most recorded of 16 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Wisconsin run mostly April through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Door County, Dunn County and Green Lake County. Next come La Crosse County (5) and Manitowoc County (5).
Michigan
Michigan holds 67 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 17 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Michigan come from Monroe County, Delta County and Huron County. Next come Wayne County (8) and Iron County (5).
Iowa
Iowa holds 48 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 22 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Iowa come from Story County, Jones County and Woodbury County. Next come Louisa County (3) and Franklin County (2).
South Dakota
South Dakota holds 31 licensed records, the joint 12th most recorded of 16 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in South Dakota come from Clay County, Union County and Bon Homme County.
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erie County | Ohio | 36 | 7.3% |
| 2 | Lucas County | Ohio | 28 | 5.7% |
| 3 | Will County | Illinois | 27 | 5.5% |
| 4 | Clay County | South Dakota | 23 | 4.7% |
| 5 | Ottawa County | Ohio | 21 | 4.3% |
| 6 | Monroe County | Michigan | 14 | 2.8% |
| 7 | Delta County | Michigan | 10 | 2.0% |
| 8 | DuPage County | Illinois | 9 | 1.8% |
| 9 | Huron County | Michigan | 8 | 1.6% |
| 10 | Wayne County | Michigan | 8 | 1.6% |
| 11 | Door County | Wisconsin | 8 | 1.6% |
| 12 | Champaign County | Illinois | 7 | 1.4% |
| 13 | Cook County | Illinois | 7 | 1.4% |
| 14 | McHenry County | Illinois | 7 | 1.4% |
| 15 | Dunn County | Wisconsin | 7 | 1.4% |
How recent are the eastern fox snake records?
The eastern fox snake record leans on older material: only 36% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1981. The oldest dated record is from 1878; the busiest year was 2025, with 44 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1890s | 2 | 0.4% |
| 1900s | 22 | 4.9% |
| 1910s | 7 | 1.6% |
| 1920s | 14 | 3.1% |
| 1930s | 32 | 7.2% |
| 1940s | 36 | 8.1% |
| 1950s | 37 | 8.3% |
| 1960s | 31 | 6.9% |
| 1970s | 37 | 8.3% |
| 1980s | 20 | 4.5% |
| 1990s | 6 | 1.3% |
| 2000s | 7 | 1.6% |
| 2010s | 51 | 11.4% |
| 2020s | 144 | 32.2% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 71 counties where the eastern fox snake is most recorded, 29 are also top counties for the DeKay's brown snake, more than for any other snake. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| DeKay's brown snake | 29 |
| Common garter snake | 27 |
| Smooth green snake | 21 |
| Northern water snake | 20 |
| Red-bellied snake | 17 |
| Plains garter snake | 16 |
| Ring-necked snake | 15 |
| Eastern racer | 13 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Pantherophis with profiles here: Eastern rat snake, Western rat snake, Corn snake and Great Plains rat snake.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.