Rainbow snake (Farancia erytrogramma)
The rainbow snake is a non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. GBIF holds 409 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 6 states, most of all North Carolina (126), Virginia (117) and South Carolina (86).
Farancia erytrogramma (also known commonly as the rainbow snake, and less frequently as the eel moccasin) is a species of large, nonvenomous, highly amphibious colubrid snake, endemic to the coastal plains of the southeastern United States. Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, one of which has been declared extinct.
From Wikipedia: Farancia erytrogramma, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the rainbow snake poisonous or venomous?
No. The rainbow 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.
Which states have the rainbow snake?
Records are spread over 6 states; the top three, North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina, hold 80% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 126 | 0.6% | 30th of 39 |
| 2 | Virginia | 117 | 1.1% | 22nd of 30 |
| 3 | South Carolina | 86 | 2.4% | 19th of 40 |
| 4 | Alabama | 29 | 0.5% | 37th of 44 |
| 5 | Georgia | 25 | 0.4% | 27th of 44 |
| 6 | Florida | 19 | 0.1% | 44th of 49 |
Where the rainbow snake is recorded in each state
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 126 licensed records, the 30th most recorded of 39 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in North Carolina come from Sampson County, Currituck County and Craven County. Next come Beaufort County (11) and New Hanover County (10).
Virginia
Virginia holds 117 licensed records, the 22nd most recorded of 30 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Virginia come from James City County, New Kent County and Virginia Beach. Next come Caroline County (4) and King William County (2).
South Carolina
South Carolina holds 86 licensed records, the joint 19th most recorded of 40 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in South Carolina come from Aiken County, Berkeley County and Charleston County. Next come Dorchester County (5) and Georgetown County (5).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James City County | Virginia | 78 | 19.1% |
| 2 | Aiken County | South Carolina | 23 | 5.6% |
| 3 | Berkeley County | South Carolina | 21 | 5.1% |
| 4 | New Kent County | Virginia | 19 | 4.6% |
| 5 | Sampson County | North Carolina | 16 | 3.9% |
| 6 | Currituck County | North Carolina | 13 | 3.2% |
| 7 | Craven County | North Carolina | 11 | 2.7% |
| 8 | Beaufort County | North Carolina | 11 | 2.7% |
| 9 | New Hanover County | North Carolina | 10 | 2.4% |
| 10 | Charleston County | South Carolina | 10 | 2.4% |
| 11 | Pender County | North Carolina | 8 | 2.0% |
| 12 | Washington County | North Carolina | 7 | 1.7% |
| 13 | Virginia Beach | Virginia | 7 | 1.7% |
| 14 | Dare County | North Carolina | 6 | 1.5% |
| 15 | Gates County | North Carolina | 6 | 1.5% |
How recent are the rainbow snake records?
The rainbow snake record leans on older material: only 8% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1967. The oldest dated record is from 1908; the busiest year was 1943, with 23 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 2 | 0.5% |
| 1910s | 3 | 0.8% |
| 1920s | 9 | 2.3% |
| 1930s | 27 | 6.9% |
| 1940s | 49 | 12.4% |
| 1950s | 73 | 18.5% |
| 1960s | 57 | 14.5% |
| 1970s | 52 | 13.2% |
| 1980s | 40 | 10.2% |
| 1990s | 18 | 4.6% |
| 2000s | 21 | 5.3% |
| 2010s | 23 | 5.8% |
| 2020s | 20 | 5.1% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 42 counties where the rainbow snake is most recorded, 41 are also top counties for the eastern rat snake, more than for any other snake. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Eastern rat snake | 41 |
| Scarlet snake | 27 |
| Eastern ribbonsnake | 26 |
| Brown water snake | 24 |
| Eastern hog-nosed snake | 23 |
| Eastern racer | 23 |
| Corn snake | 22 |
| Eastern kingsnake | 22 |
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.