What Snakes Can You Find Night-Herping in Florida?

TL;DR

When night-herping in the Florida Everglades, you can find venomous snakes like the coral snake and the water moccasin. The coral snake is highly venomous, identifiable by its red and yellow coloring, while the water moccasin, the only aquatic pit viper in the U.S., exhibits heat-sensing pits for detecting prey but prefers to avoid confrontation.

Transcript

• I'm Coyote Peterson, tonight we're in the Florida Everglades and sometimes the best way to find reptiles at night is some good, old-fashioned night-herping. We're gonna cruise the roads and see what we can come up with. You ready to do this? - (snap) Yup. - All right, we're cruisin' for snakes. (loud drum music) So night... Read More

Key Insights

• 💨 Night-herping is an effective way to find snakes in the Florida Everglades as the warmth of the asphalt attracts them.
• 😪 Coral snakes have a distinctive coloration pattern, with red touching yellow, indicating their venomous nature.
• 🇺🇸 Water moccasins, also known as cottonmouths, are the only aquatic species of pit viper found in the United States.
• 🏥 Pit vipers have heat-sensing pits behind their nostrils, which they use to detect prey.
• 💦 Despite their venomous nature, both coral snakes and water moccasins typically avoid human confrontation.
• 🥳 Night-herping allows for encounters with elusive reptiles that spend most of their days hiding.
• 🐍 It is important to respect venomous snakes like the coral snake and give them space.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is night-herping?

Night-herping is the act of searching for reptiles, primarily snakes, during nighttime. It is a slang term derived from the study of reptiles, known as herpetology.

Q: How do they find snakes during night-herping?

Coyote and his team cruise along deserted roads in the Florida Everglades at a slow speed, keeping their eyes peeled for snakes slithering across the road or laying out on the warm asphalt.

Q: What is the significance of finding a coral snake?

Coral snakes are not only beautiful but also the most venomous snake species encountered during the night-herping expedition. They have fixed fangs and inject a potent venom, making them highly dangerous.

Q: Are water moccasins aggressive?

Although people often fear water moccasins, they are generally not aggressive snakes. They prefer to be left alone and will only attack if they feel threatened. If encountered, it is best to back away slowly and give them space.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Coyote Peterson and his team go night-herping in the Florida Everglades, searching for reptiles like snakes.

• They find a coral snake, one of the most venomous snakes in the United States.

• They also encounter a water moccasin, an aquatic species of pit viper.