Rough earthsnake (Haldea striatula)
The rough earthsnake is a non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. GBIF holds 3,210 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 14 states, most of all Texas (1,448), North Carolina (712) and Oklahoma (279). Its observation records peak in April.
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Is the rough earthsnake poisonous or venomous?
No. The rough earthsnake 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 rough earthsnake?
Records are spread over 14 states; the top three, Texas, North Carolina and Oklahoma, hold 76% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 1,448 | 3.5% | 9th of 86 |
| 2 | North Carolina | 712 | 3.4% | 12th of 39 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 279 | 2.1% | 17th of 50 |
| 4 | Virginia | 230 | 2.1% | 13th of 30 |
| 5 | Mississippi | 115 | 6.2% | 4th of 38 |
| 6 | Louisiana | 112 | 2.2% | 13th of 41 |
| 7 | Alabama | 80 | 1.4% | 26th of 44 |
| 8 | South Carolina | 62 | 1.7% | 25th of 40 |
| 9 | Kansas | 50 | 0.3% | 35th of 44 |
| 10 | Arkansas | 44 | 0.8% | 17th of 36 |
| 11 | Missouri | 39 | 2.1% | 16th of 36 |
| 12 | Georgia | 20 | 0.3% | 29th of 44 |
| 13 | Florida | 14 | 0.1% | 46th of 49 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 3 | 0.1% | 28th of 32 |
When is the rough earthsnake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the rough earthsnake run through most of the year, peaking in April with 19% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 15% of them.
Season by state
Observation records run through most of the year in Texas. Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in February (North Carolina) and latest in March (Oklahoma). Each of these states peaks in a different month: March in North Carolina, April in Texas and May in Oklahoma.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | most of the year | April | 527 |
| North Carolina | February through October | March | 85 |
| Oklahoma | March through October | May | 31 |
Where the rough earthsnake is recorded in each state
Texas
Texas holds 1,448 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 86 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Texas run through most of the year, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Travis County, Dallas County and Brazos County. Next come Harris County (83) and Tarrant County (79).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 712 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 39 snakes listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly February through October, peaking in March; most licensed records come from Durham County, Wake County and Carteret County. Next come Brunswick County (23) and Hyde County (20).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 279 licensed records, the 17th most recorded of 50 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Oklahoma run mostly March through October, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Marshall County, Tulsa County and Rogers County. Next come Love County (19) and Atoka County (18).
Virginia
Virginia holds 230 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 30 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Virginia come from Henrico County, Newport News and James City County. Next come Richmond (6) and Charles City County (6).
Mississippi
Mississippi holds 115 licensed records, the joint 4th most recorded of 38 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Mississippi come from Hancock County, Harrison County and Simpson County. Next come Lafayette County (6) and Stone County (4).
Louisiana
Louisiana holds 112 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 41 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Louisiana come from Natchitoches Parish, Union Parish and Jackson Parish. Next come Lafayette Parish (14) and East Baton Rouge Parish (6).
Alabama
Alabama holds 80 licensed records, the 26th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Alabama come from Lee County, Mobile County and Macon County. Next come Russell County (7) and Baldwin County (5).
South Carolina
South Carolina holds 62 licensed records, the 25th most recorded of 40 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in South Carolina come from Jasper County, Berkeley County and Charleston County. Next come Dorchester County (3) and Colleton County (1).
Kansas
Kansas holds 50 licensed records, the 35th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Kansas come from Chautauqua County, Cherokee County and Crawford County. Next come Labette County (1).
Arkansas
Arkansas holds 44 licensed records, the 17th most recorded of 36 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Arkansas come from Ashley County, Pulaski County and Columbia County. Next come Sebastian County (4) and Lawrence County (3).
Missouri
Missouri holds 39 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 36 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Missouri come from Jefferson County, Taney County and Wayne County. Next come Miller County (2) and Stone County (1).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham County | North Carolina | 294 | 9.2% |
| 2 | Travis County | Texas | 249 | 7.8% |
| 3 | Henrico County | Virginia | 158 | 4.9% |
| 4 | Wake County | North Carolina | 156 | 4.9% |
| 5 | Dallas County | Texas | 128 | 4.0% |
| 6 | Brazos County | Texas | 112 | 3.5% |
| 7 | Harris County | Texas | 83 | 2.6% |
| 8 | Tarrant County | Texas | 79 | 2.5% |
| 9 | Hancock County | Mississippi | 64 | 2.0% |
| 10 | McLennan County | Texas | 52 | 1.6% |
| 11 | Denton County | Texas | 48 | 1.5% |
| 12 | Parker County | Texas | 43 | 1.3% |
| 13 | Chautauqua County | Kansas | 35 | 1.1% |
| 14 | Marshall County | Oklahoma | 35 | 1.1% |
| 15 | Bexar County | Texas | 35 | 1.1% |
How recent are the rough earthsnake records?
The rough earthsnake record leans on older material: only 25% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1973. The oldest dated record is from 1860; the busiest year was 1950, with 267 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1860s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1890s | 27 | 0.9% |
| 1900s | 29 | 1.0% |
| 1910s | 51 | 1.7% |
| 1920s | 21 | 0.7% |
| 1930s | 90 | 3.0% |
| 1940s | 250 | 8.2% |
| 1950s | 478 | 15.8% |
| 1960s | 461 | 15.2% |
| 1970s | 419 | 13.8% |
| 1980s | 207 | 6.8% |
| 1990s | 58 | 1.9% |
| 2000s | 99 | 3.3% |
| 2010s | 196 | 6.5% |
| 2020s | 645 | 21.3% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 139 counties where the rough earthsnake is most recorded, 70 are also top counties for the rough greensnake, more than for any other snake. Venomous species among its neighbors: the eastern copperhead and the northern cottonmouth.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Rough greensnake | 70 |
| Eastern racer | 69 |
| Plain-bellied watersnake | 69 |
| DeKay's brown snake | 63 |
| Eastern copperhead venomous | 63 |
| Northern cottonmouth venomous | 59 |
| Ring-necked snake | 52 |
| Eastern hog-nosed snake | 51 |
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.