We are back with another article, and this time we will cover a list of white and black snakes. Snakes having shiny white and black patterns are sometimes referred to as venomous, but the truth is only a few of them are dangerous to us.
Therefore, it is very important to have knowledge regarding eclectic snake species and how to differentiate between venomous and non-venomous snakes. But don’t worry; here in this list, we have tried to cover the venom status of the most. So, let’s begin.
List of White and Black Snakes
1. bandy-bandy (hoop snake)
The Bandy Bandy (aka "hoop snake"; V. annulata) arcs its body off the ground when it feels threatened #snakes #wildlifephotography #reptiles pic.twitter.com/9llYsWfQbG
— Donald McKnight (@donaldmcknight2) March 20, 2017
The first black and white snake in the list is the bandy-bandy or also known as the hoop snake. These snakes have smooth-shiny black scales with horizontal white banded stripes from head to tail.
It doesn’t matter how beautiful these snakes are because they have potent venom and can be notoriously deadly to humans in large amounts. The bandy-bandy’s venom comprises neurotoxin that especially targets the nervous system.
There are six species of bandy-bandy all across Australia that we have mentioned in the last of the list. These snakes mainly feed on other snakes.
Scientific name:Â Vermicella annulata
Size: 50-60cm
Location: Australia
2. Black-tailed Rattlesnake
Another venomous snake on the list is Black-tailed Rattlesnake. These snakes contain hemotoxic venom that destroys red blood cells and stops blood clotting. But their venom is non-toxic to humans.
Compared to other rattlesnakes, they are less dangerous. Black-tailed Rattlesnakes are mostly in dusty-black color with white patterns all over them. The female snakes are larger than males and can attain a maximum length of 125cm. Black-tailed Rattlesnakes primarily feed on rodents, birds, and other small animals.
Scientific name:Â Crotalus molossus
Size: 76-107cm
Location: the southwestern United States and Mexico
3. Suzhen’s Krait
Bungarus suzhenae, also known as Suzhen’s Krait, is a newly discovered snake. It was first identified in 2021 in the monsoon forest of southwestern China. Suzhen’s Krait is a species of venomous krait snake.
However, it is still yet to unveil how potent its venom is. The upper part of its body is completely shiny-black in color, and the lower part is yellowish-white with uniformly distributed white bands from the back of its head to tail.
Interesting Fact: Suzhen’s Krait feeds on eels like the Asian swamp eel and other small snakes like the yellow-spotted keelback water snake. But it doesn’t like to eat mice and frogs.
Scientific name:Â Bungarus suzhenae
Size: 1-1.5m
Location: southwestern China and northern Myanmar
4. Western Massasauga
Western Massasauga is a very dangerous and venomous pit viper that has a grey or tan dorsal background color with brownish-black patterns all over the body.
The venom of Western Massasauga is considered to be very potent compared to other rattlesnakes, but due to its capability of delivering a lower amount of venom in a single bite, its danger is reduced.
The venom contains harmful hemotoxin, which can cause severe pain, and death of cells in tissues. It means the high dose of its venom is fatal to us.
Other common names of Western Massasauga are Ground rattlesnake, Gulf Coast massasauga, Edward’s massasauga, large ground rattlesnake, Say’s False Rattlesnake, Sonora ground rattlesnake, Texas massasauga, three-spotted shield rattler, triple-spotted rattlesnake. These snakes mainly feed on rodents, lizards, frogs, and other small animals.
Scientific name:Â Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus
Size: 35-91cm
Location: southwestern plains of the United States
5. Common Kingsnake
Common Kingsnake, also known as Eastern Kingsnake or chain kingsnake, is one of the most common non-venomous black and white snakes across the United States. These kingsnakes can grow up to 208.2cm. Common Kingsnakes are in shiny black color with narrow white stripes from head to tail.
Some of its common names are Black Kingsnake, North American Kingsnake, Pine Kingsnake, and many more. Like other kingsnakes, these snakes mainly feed on various small snakes, including venomous coral snakes and other rattlesnakes.
Scientific name:Â Lampropeltis getula
Size: 107-208.2cm
Location: The United States and Mexico
6. Butler’s Wolf Snake
Butler’s Wolf Snake is from the species of non-venomous wolf snakes and of the family Colubridae. These snakes are in shiny black color with beautiful narrow white stripes uniformly distributed all over the body from the back of the neck to the tail.
These snakes are oviparous, like most amphibians and reptiles. Butler’s Wolf Snakes mainly feed on rodents, geckos, lizards, and skinks.
Scientific name:Â Lycodon butleri
Size: 70-90cm
Location: the province of Krabi in southern Thailand and peninsular Malaysia
7. Common Garter Snake
Common Garter Snakes are mildly venomous snakes from the family Colubridae. Coming from natricine snake species, the venom of the Common Garter is not dangerous to us and can cause minor itching and swelling, but it’s enough to take down small amphibians and other animals.
There are a total of 13 subspecies of Common Garter snakes, and only a few of them are in black and white colors. But here we are referring T. s. pickeringii, mainly found in Northwestern Washington, Vancouver Island, and southwestern British Columbia.
Scientific name:Â Thamnophis sirtalis
Size: 1.0-1.2m
Location: North America
8. Desert striped whipsnakeÂ
Another common non-venomous snake is Desert Striped Whipsnake. These snakes are indigenous to the western United States and can attain a maximum length of only 183cm.Â
Desert striped whipsnakes have a wide range of habitats, including the Rocky Mountains, flatlands, and forests. They have a dark brown or black color body with a yellowish to white belly.Â
Desert striped whipsnake primarily feed on other small snakes, including venomous rattlesnakes, lizards, frogs, and rodents. These snakes are diurnal means they rely on their vision to chase down their prey.
Scientific name:Â Masticophis taeniatus
Size: 76-183cm
Location: the western United States and adjacent northern Mexico
9. Laotian Wolf Snake
Laotion wolf snake is a non-venomous snake of colubrid snake species that is native to Asiatic regions. It is a burrowing snake and shows nocturnal features.
It has a full black body with yellow and white crossbands on the dorsal and ventral sides, respectively. Having a size of at most 20 inches, Laotion wolf snakes are not aggressive and are reluctant to bite. They generally feed on small rodents, frogs, geckos, and lizards.
Scientific name: Lycodon laoensis
Size: 20 inches
Location: India, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, China (Yunnan), and West Malaysia, Northern Pakistan
10. California King Snake
The California kingsnake is a colubrid snake that is native to the western United States and northern Mexico. It is among the list of most popular pet snakes across the world due to its non-venomous nature and wide range of color patterns.
With a total size of 107cm, kingsnakes have a black or brown body with alternating dark and light bands on either side of it. During colder months, kingsnakes retreat underground and enter brumation (hibernation-like stage).
They generally feed on rodents, birds, and reptiles. They even hunt and eat venomous rattlesnakes as well. California kingsnakes are considered harmless to human beings.
Scientific name:Â Lampropeltis californiae
Size: 2.5-3.5 feet
Location: Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, southwestern Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, and northwestern Mexico
11. Malayan Krait (Blue Krait)
The Malayan Krait is a highly venomous species of snake of the family Elapidae. They have an average length of 108cm. Its narrowed body has black and bluish alternating bands, which are separated by broad white bands on both sides of the body; it looks like a chessboard or checked pattern.
Malayan Krait feeds on other snakes but also eats frogs, birds, lizards, mice, etc. Its venom is highly dangerous, and 1mg of it only can annihilate or become a lethal dose for a 75kg human being.
Scientific name:Â Bungarus candidus
Size: 43 inches
Location: Southeast Asia from Indochina south to Java and Bali in Indonesia
12. Southern Black Racer
The southern black racer is a colubrid snake native to the Southeastern United States. These snakes are diurnal and eat rodents, frogs, toads, and lizards.
The southern black racer has a shiny jet-black body having a white chin, and is a very fast runner; that’s why, they’re called ‘racer.’ Its scientific name has the word constrictor in it, meaning that they’re more likely to constrict their prey and suffocate it to death. Its greatest enemies include hawks and eagles.
Scientific name:Â Coluber constrictor priapus
Size: 72 inches
Location: Southeastern United States
13. Black Rat Snake
Black rat snake, also called western rat snake, pilot black snake, or black snake, is a non-venomous snake of species Colubridae that is native to North America. They are the largest snake that is found in Canada and officially the largest snake in North America.
Rat snakes can be adapted to a variety of regions, including bayou, prairie, and rock outcrops. Their characteristic feature includes tree climbing and spending most of their time on trees.
Rat snakes are excellent swimmers as well. They have glossy black bodies with brown patches on them. They hunt down small rodents like mice, rats, lizards, etc. During frightening situations, they release a foul kinking smell on their predators.
Scientific name:Â Pantherophis obsoletus
Size: 1-2.5m
Location: Mississippi River
14. Long-Nosed Desert Snake
The long-nosed snake is a non-venomous snake of colubrid species native to North America. The long-nosed snake has a long upturned snout, therefore, got its name. Its tricolor includes a combination of black, red, and yellow alternating crossbands on both sides of the body.
The long-nosed snakes are burrowing nocturnal snakes that feed on lizards, amphibians, and sometimes smaller snakes and infrequent rodents. Its habitat can be desert, grassland, shrubland, and savanna. They release a foul musk or blood if being harassed by their predators.
Scientific name:Â Rhinocheilus lecontei
Size: 41 inches
Location: Northern Mexico and into the southwestern United States
15. Malayan (White) Banded Wolf SnakeÂ
The Malayan Banded Wolf Snake, scientifically Lycodon subcinctus, is a non-venomous snake that resembles a Krait. But unlike Kraits, these snakes are harmless and not very aggressive.
Wolf Snakes do bite humans, but their bites result in minor pain and swelling. Malayan Banded Wolf Snakes have very beautiful slender bodies, black in color with white patterns. They primarily feed on geckos, skinks, frogs, and mice.
Scientific name: Lycodon subcinctus
Size: ~36 inches
Location: all countries of Southeast Asia, from mainland Myanmar in the northwest to the eastern islands of Indonesia
16. Queen Snake
The Queen Snake, scientifically known as Regina septemvittata, is a semiaquatic non-venomous snake with a black body and white linear patterns from head to tail.
“Other common names: banded water snake, brown queen snake, diamond-back water snake, leather snake, moon snake, North American seven-banded snake, olive water snake, pale snake, queen water snake, seven-striped water snake, striped water snake, three-striped water snake, willow snake, and yellow-bellied snake.”
These snakes are identical to grater snakes. Female queen snakes are slightly larger than males.
Scientific name: Regina septemvittata
Size: ~24 inches
Location: endemic to North America
Other List:
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17. Many-banded Krait*
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18. Puget Sound Gartersnake
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19. Northern pine snake
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20. Speckled Kingsnake (having yellow and white patterns)
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21. Western Terrestrial Garter Snake
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22. Weipa bandy-bandy*
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23. Worm-like bandy-bandy*
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24. Pilbara bandy-bandy*
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25. Northern bandy-bandy*
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26. Wide-banded northern bandy-bandy*
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27. Eastern bandy-bandy*Â
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28. Malayan Bridle Snake (usually brown and white or brown)
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29. White-banded wolf snake
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30. Eastern Rat Snake
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31. European Grass Snake
(*) denotes venomous.
Now, it’s time to conclude the article on “snakes that are black and white.” We have only explained 14 of them that are uncommon. Indeed, some of them are venomous, but the most dangerous is Western Massasauga. So, it’s better to always identify the snake before reaching them.
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Monty is a founder of How It See. Being a life science student in a reputed university, he always wonders about an eclectic correlation between science and nature. After engaging in various college projects, Monty determined to share all his knowledge with you as a writer. In the meantime, he loves to research and study about the various types of colorful animals.