Smooth earth snake (Virginia valeriae)
The smooth earth snake is a non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. GBIF holds 1,449 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 22 states, most of all Pennsylvania (368), North Carolina (235) and Virginia (172). Its observation records peak in May.
The smooth earth snake (Virginia valeriae) is a species of nonvenomous natricine colubrid snake native to the eastern half of the United States.
From Wikipedia: Smooth earth snake, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the smooth earth snake poisonous or venomous?
No. The smooth earth 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 smooth earth snake?
Records are spread over 22 states; the top three, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Virginia, hold 53% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | 368 | 4.3% | 10th of 20 |
| 2 | North Carolina | 235 | 1.1% | 23rd of 39 |
| 3 | Virginia | 172 | 1.6% | 16th of 30 |
| 4 | Alabama | 131 | 2.3% | 16th of 44 |
| 5 | Maryland | 86 | 2.4% | 12th of 20 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 81 | 0.6% | 33rd of 50 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 58 | 2.2% | 16th of 32 |
| 8 | Kansas | 42 | 0.3% | 37th of 44 |
| 9 | Texas | 34 | 0.1% | 73rd of 86 |
| 10 | Arkansas | 32 | 0.6% | 21st of 36 |
| 11 | Ohio | 28 | 0.5% | 21st of 25 |
| 12 | Mississippi | 25 | 1.3% | 21st of 38 |
| 13 | Georgia | 24 | 0.4% | 28th of 44 |
| 14 | Illinois | 19 | 0.7% | 26th of 33 |
| 15 | Missouri | 19 | 1.0% | 24th of 36 |
| 16 | Kentucky | 18 | 1.4% | 17th of 24 |
| 17 | Louisiana | 17 | 0.3% | 34th of 41 |
| 18 | Florida | 14 | 0.1% | 46th of 49 |
| 19 | Indiana | 13 | 0.6% | 25th of 27 |
| 20 | South Carolina | 12 | 0.3% | 39th of 40 |
| 21 | West Virginia | 8 | 0.5% | 18th of 18 |
| 22 | Iowa | 4 | 0.4% | 22nd of 22 |
When is the smooth earth snake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the smooth earth snake run mostly March through November, peaking in May with 18% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 7% of them.
Season by state
Each of these states peaks in a different month: April in Tennessee and May in North Carolina.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | February through August | April | 54 |
| North Carolina | May through January | May | 31 |
Where the smooth earth snake is recorded in each state
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 368 licensed records, the 10th most recorded of 20 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Pennsylvania come from Warren County, Potter County and Cameron County. Next come Venango County (16) and Forest County (12).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 235 licensed records, the 23rd most recorded of 39 snakes listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly May through January, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Wake County, Sampson County and Orange County. Next come Bladen County (18) and Durham County (11).
Virginia
Virginia holds 172 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 30 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Virginia come from Henrico County, James City County and Fairfax County. Next come New Kent County (7) and Highland County (6).
Alabama
Alabama holds 131 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Alabama come from Lee County, Shelby County and Macon County. Next come Sumter County (9) and Bibb County (8).
Maryland
Maryland holds 86 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 20 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Maryland come from Prince George's County, Montgomery County and Calvert County. Next come St. Mary's County (6) and Anne Arundel County (6).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 81 licensed records, the 33rd most recorded of 50 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Oklahoma come from LeFlore County, Love County and Tulsa County. Next come Cherokee County (5) and Delaware County (4).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 58 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 32 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly February through August, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Wilson County, Cheatham County and Stewart County. Next come Rutherford County (5) and Knox County (3).
Kansas
Kansas holds 42 licensed records, the 37th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Kansas come from Jefferson County, Douglas County and Linn County. Next come Wyandotte County (4) and Franklin County (2).
Texas
Texas holds 34 licensed records, the joint 73rd most recorded of 86 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Texas come from Travis County, Bexar County and Brazos County. Next come Kerr County (2) and Bosque County (2).
Arkansas
Arkansas holds 32 licensed records, the 21st most recorded of 36 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Arkansas come from Polk County, Montgomery County and Columbia County. Next come Franklin County (2) and Washington County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warren County | Pennsylvania | 184 | 12.7% |
| 2 | Potter County | Pennsylvania | 85 | 5.9% |
| 3 | Wake County | North Carolina | 63 | 4.3% |
| 4 | Henrico County | Virginia | 46 | 3.2% |
| 5 | Sampson County | North Carolina | 42 | 2.9% |
| 6 | Prince George's County | Maryland | 34 | 2.3% |
| 7 | Cameron County | Pennsylvania | 28 | 1.9% |
| 8 | Lee County | Alabama | 26 | 1.8% |
| 9 | Orange County | North Carolina | 20 | 1.4% |
| 10 | LeFlore County | Oklahoma | 20 | 1.4% |
| 11 | Jefferson County | Kansas | 19 | 1.3% |
| 12 | Bladen County | North Carolina | 18 | 1.2% |
| 13 | James City County | Virginia | 17 | 1.2% |
| 14 | Venango County | Pennsylvania | 16 | 1.1% |
| 15 | Wilson County | Tennessee | 15 | 1.0% |
How recent are the smooth earth snake records?
The smooth earth snake record leans on older material: only 20% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1980. The oldest dated record is from 1847; the busiest year was 1981, with 127 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1840s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1850s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1870s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1880s | 3 | 0.2% |
| 1890s | 10 | 0.7% |
| 1900s | 20 | 1.4% |
| 1910s | 8 | 0.6% |
| 1920s | 9 | 0.6% |
| 1930s | 62 | 4.3% |
| 1940s | 88 | 6.1% |
| 1950s | 131 | 9.1% |
| 1960s | 168 | 11.7% |
| 1970s | 176 | 12.3% |
| 1980s | 311 | 21.7% |
| 1990s | 48 | 3.3% |
| 2000s | 80 | 5.6% |
| 2010s | 83 | 5.8% |
| 2020s | 234 | 16.3% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 135 counties where the smooth earth snake is most recorded, 69 are also top counties for the DeKay's brown snake, more than for any other snake. Venomous species among its neighbors: the eastern copperhead.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| DeKay's brown snake | 69 |
| Eastern racer | 62 |
| Eastern copperhead venomous | 61 |
| Rough greensnake | 61 |
| Ring-necked snake | 60 |
| Common garter snake | 57 |
| Northern water snake | 57 |
| Eastern rat snake | 56 |
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.