If you’re out hiking in Louisiana’s forests or just working in your backyard, you might find yourself wondering—are coral snakes actually slithering around here?
Yep, coral snakes do live in Louisiana, though they’re pretty rare. The Harlequin Coral Snake is the only one you’ll find, mostly hanging out in the southeastern part of the state.
Oddly enough, nobody’s officially recorded a coral snake in Louisiana since the 1980s, and you won’t spot them south of Lake Pontchartrain.
Louisiana has 48 different snake species, but only seven are venomous. Coral snakes are among the hardest to find.
They’re easy to recognize if you happen to see one: look for red, yellow, and black bands, with the yellow bands always separating the red and black.
Non-venomous copycats usually have red bands touching black, not yellow.
Worried about running into one? Don’t stress too much. Coral snakes like dry, wooded spots—think pinelands and mixed forests.
They’re shy and tend to keep to themselves. Their venom’s a powerful neurotoxin that can cause quick paralysis, but since they avoid people, bites are extremely rare.
Are There Coral Snakes in Louisiana?
So, are coral snakes in Louisiana? Yeah, but they’re tough to find.
The state technically has two coral snake species, and both count among Louisiana’s seven venomous snakes.
The Harlequin Coral Snake is the main one, though, and honestly, nobody’s confirmed spotting it here since the 1980s.
These snakes stick to dry, wooded places—pinelands and mixed forests are their thing.
You won’t find coral snakes everywhere. They’re missing from south of Lake Pontchartrain.
If you’re wandering around the northern parts of the state, maybe keep an eye out, just in case.
One odd fact: coral snakes are the only venomous snakes in Louisiana that lay eggs.
Females usually lay 3-12 eggs in early summer, and the babies hatch by late summer or early fall.
If you come across a snake with colorful bands, there’s that old rhyme: “Red touch yellow, kill a fellow.”
Coral snakes have yellow bands between black and red, while harmless lookalikes usually have red touching black.
If you do get bitten, hospitals treat coral snake bites with different antivenom than they use for other venomous snakes. So, knowing what bit you actually matters.
Snakes in Louisiana That Look Like Coral Snakes
Louisiana’s got a handful of non-venomous snakes that could fool you into thinking they’re the dangerous coral snake.
Spotting the difference might actually save you a lot of trouble.
Probably the most common coral snake lookalike is the scarlet kingsnake.
This little guy flashes red, black, and yellow bands just like the real deal, but in a different order.
That old rhyme sticks for a reason: “Red touch black, friend of Jack; red touch yellow, kill a fellow.” It’s not perfect, but it helps.
Louisiana kingsnakes get mixed up with coral snakes all the time. They’re non-venomous, and their flashy patterns give them a kind of built-in disguise.
The milk snake tries to pull the same trick. Its bands look similar, but if you look close, you’ll see the red bands touch black, not yellow, which is a dead giveaway you’re not dealing with a coral snake.
How to tell the difference:
- Coral snakes: Red bands touch yellow bands
- Kingsnakes: Red bands touch black bands
- Coral snakes: Round pupils, small heads
- Lookalikes: Usually have narrower bands
These mimics didn’t just end up looking this way by accident.
Over time, they evolved to copy the venomous eastern coral snake so predators would leave them alone.
You might spot one of these banded snakes snacking on smaller snakes, but they’re no threat to people.
If you see a flashy, colorful snake in your yard, don’t rush up to it.
Give it some space until you know what you’re dealing with.