Eastern wormsnake (Carphophis amoenus)
The eastern wormsnake is a non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. GBIF holds 3,555 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 23 states, most of all North Carolina (975), Virginia (793) and Alabama (262). Its observation records peak in April.
Carphophis amoenus, commonly known as the worm snake, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to the eastern United States. C. amoenus can be found east of the Mississippi, from southwest Massachusetts south to southern Alabama west to Louisiana and then north to Illinois. This species of snake protects a large range, and normally prefers a moist habitat in the rocky woodlands, under rotten wood of logs and stumps.
From Wikipedia: Carphophis amoenus, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the eastern wormsnake poisonous or venomous?
No. The eastern wormsnake 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.
Which states have the eastern wormsnake?
Records are spread over 23 states; the top three, North Carolina, Virginia and Alabama, hold 57% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 975 | 4.7% | 8th of 39 |
| 2 | Virginia | 793 | 7.2% | 5th of 30 |
| 3 | Alabama | 262 | 4.6% | 2nd of 44 |
| 4 | Kansas | 258 | 1.8% | 19th of 44 |
| 5 | Maryland | 248 | 6.9% | 6th of 20 |
| 6 | Tennessee | 136 | 5.2% | 7th of 32 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 97 | 2.7% | 16th of 40 |
| 8 | Illinois | 85 | 3.1% | 9th of 33 |
| 9 | Georgia | 84 | 1.4% | 16th of 44 |
| 10 | West Virginia | 82 | 5.0% | 6th of 18 |
| 11 | Indiana | 80 | 3.6% | 10th of 27 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | 76 | 0.6% | 36th of 50 |
| 13 | Kentucky | 73 | 5.7% | 7th of 24 |
| 14 | Ohio | 58 | 1.0% | 17th of 25 |
| 15 | New Jersey | 41 | 3.6% | 7th of 18 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 33 | 0.4% | 18th of 20 |
| 17 | Connecticut | 31 | 2.7% | 12th of 14 |
| 18 | Missouri | 31 | 1.6% | 18th of 36 |
| 19 | Delaware | 30 | 4.5% | 5th of 14 |
| 20 | Mississippi | 23 | 1.2% | 24th of 38 |
| 21 | Louisiana | 20 | 0.4% | 29th of 41 |
| 22 | Arkansas | 18 | 0.3% | 24th of 36 |
| 23 | New York | 3 | 0.1% | 17th of 17 |
When is the eastern wormsnake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the eastern wormsnake run mostly March through October, peaking in April with 27% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 3% of them.
Season by state
Observation records run through most of the year in Georgia. Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in March (Kentucky, North Carolina and Virginia) and latest in April (Maryland and Tennessee). The most common peak month is April, shared by Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | March through September | May | 212 |
| North Carolina | March through October | April | 202 |
| Maryland | April through September | May | 111 |
| Tennessee | April through October | April | 51 |
| Georgia | most of the year | April | 41 |
| Kentucky | March through September | April | 31 |
Where the eastern wormsnake is recorded in each state
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 975 licensed records, the 8th most recorded of 39 snakes listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Wake County, Orange County and Durham County. Next come Mecklenburg County (38) and Transylvania County (33).
Virginia
Virginia holds 793 licensed records, the 5th most recorded of 30 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly March through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Cumberland County and Henrico County. Next come Stafford County (36) and James City County (29).
Alabama
Alabama holds 262 licensed records, the 2nd most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Alabama come from Jefferson County, Winston County and Colbert County. Next come Marshall County (15) and Clay County (14).
Kansas
Kansas holds 258 licensed records, the 19th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Kansas come from Douglas County, Anderson County and Osage County. Next come Miami County (20) and Jefferson County (19).
Maryland
Maryland holds 248 licensed records, the 6th most recorded of 20 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly April through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Anne Arundel County, Montgomery County and Prince George's County. Next come Calvert County (30) and Cecil County (16).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 136 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 32 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly April through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Wilson County, Monroe County and Sevier County. Next come Decatur County (8) and Marion County (8).
South Carolina
South Carolina holds 97 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 40 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in South Carolina come from Oconee County, Berkeley County and Pickens County. Next come Georgetown County (6) and Richland County (6).
Illinois
Illinois holds 85 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 33 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Illinois come from Jersey County, Randolph County and Pike County. Next come Wabash County (7) and Calhoun County (6).
Georgia
Georgia holds 84 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Georgia run through most of the year, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Rabun County, Clarke County and Gilmer County. Next come Murray County (5) and Cherokee County (5).
West Virginia
West Virginia holds 82 licensed records, the joint 6th most recorded of 18 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in West Virginia come from Pocahontas County, Greenbrier County and Kanawha County. Next come Wyoming County (6) and Hampshire County (5).
Indiana
Indiana holds 80 licensed records, the 10th most recorded of 27 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Indiana come from Lawrence County, Brown County and Monroe County. Next come Clark County (4) and Jackson County (3).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 76 licensed records, the 36th most recorded of 50 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Oklahoma come from Tulsa County, LeFlore County and Wagoner County. Next come Rogers County (7) and Delaware County (6).
Kentucky
Kentucky holds 73 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 24 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Kentucky run mostly March through September, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Jessamine County, Madison County and Carter County. Next come Meade County (6) and Powell County (4).
Ohio
Ohio holds 58 licensed records, the 17th most recorded of 25 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Ohio come from Scioto County, Adams County and Hocking County. Next come Pike County (7) and Vinton County (4).
New Jersey
New Jersey holds 41 licensed records, the joint 7th most recorded of 18 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in New Jersey come from Ocean County, Cape May County and Cumberland County. Next come Gloucester County (6) and Burlington County (5).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 33 licensed records, the 18th most recorded of 20 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Pennsylvania come from Franklin County, Cumberland County and Huntingdon County. Next come Centre County (2) and Snyder County (2).
Connecticut
Connecticut holds 31 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 14 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Connecticut come from New Haven County, Middlesex County and Fairfield County. Next come Hartford County (1) and New London County (1).
Missouri
Missouri holds 31 licensed records, the 18th most recorded of 36 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Missouri come from Shannon County, Daviess County and Reynolds County. Next come Lincoln County (3) and Pike County (3).
Delaware
Delaware holds 30 licensed records, the 5th most recorded of 14 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Delaware come from Sussex County, New Castle County and Kent County.
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wake County | North Carolina | 145 | 4.1% |
| 2 | Orange County | North Carolina | 92 | 2.6% |
| 3 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 87 | 2.4% |
| 4 | Douglas County | Kansas | 70 | 2.0% |
| 5 | Durham County | North Carolina | 67 | 1.9% |
| 6 | Anne Arundel County | Maryland | 51 | 1.4% |
| 7 | Cumberland County | Virginia | 50 | 1.4% |
| 8 | Montgomery County | Maryland | 46 | 1.3% |
| 9 | Prince George's County | Maryland | 44 | 1.2% |
| 10 | Henrico County | Virginia | 44 | 1.2% |
| 11 | Mecklenburg County | North Carolina | 38 | 1.1% |
| 12 | Tulsa County | Oklahoma | 36 | 1.0% |
| 13 | Stafford County | Virginia | 36 | 1.0% |
| 14 | Jersey County | Illinois | 35 | 1.0% |
| 15 | Transylvania County | North Carolina | 33 | 0.9% |
How recent are the eastern wormsnake records?
The eastern wormsnake record leans on older material: only 24% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1974. The oldest dated record is from 1854; the busiest year was 2025, with 134 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 3 | 0.1% |
| 1870s | 1 | 0.0% |
| 1880s | 7 | 0.2% |
| 1890s | 25 | 0.7% |
| 1900s | 19 | 0.5% |
| 1910s | 28 | 0.8% |
| 1920s | 136 | 3.9% |
| 1930s | 262 | 7.5% |
| 1940s | 225 | 6.4% |
| 1950s | 230 | 6.6% |
| 1960s | 570 | 16.3% |
| 1970s | 504 | 14.4% |
| 1980s | 361 | 10.3% |
| 1990s | 140 | 4.0% |
| 2000s | 80 | 2.3% |
| 2010s | 190 | 5.4% |
| 2020s | 719 | 20.5% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 248 counties where the eastern wormsnake is most recorded, 134 are also top counties for the ring-necked snake, more than for any other snake. Venomous species among its neighbors: the eastern copperhead.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Ring-necked snake | 134 |
| Eastern copperhead venomous | 128 |
| Eastern rat snake | 121 |
| Eastern racer | 120 |
| Northern water snake | 109 |
| DeKay's brown snake | 104 |
| Common garter snake | 102 |
| Rough greensnake | 90 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Colubridae with profiles here: Western terrestrial garter snake, Common garter snake, Gopher snake, Ring-necked snake, Northern water snake and Eastern racer.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.