Harmless · Native to the United States
Northern pine snake
Pituophis melanoleucus (Daudin, 1803)
Also called eastern pinesnake
Data updated October 2026
At a glance
A large, powerful constrictor of sandy pine woods in the eastern United States. It spends most of its life underground and hisses loudly when disturbed. Harmless to people, it has declined in many areas.
01
Identification
Pine snakes are large and fairly heavy-bodied. The ground color is white, cream, yellow or light gray, with dark, squarish blotches of black or dark brown that become more distinct toward the tail. The head is relatively small and the snout somewhat pointed. The scales are keeled. Males have longer, less sharply tapering tails than females.
- 01Bold blotches on a pale body. Black or dark brown saddles on white, cream or gray, sharper toward the tail.
- 02Pointed snout. A small head with a slightly pointed snout, used to dig in sand.
- 03Loud hiss. When cornered it inflates its lungs and forces out a loud hiss, often while vibrating its tail.
Commonly confused with
Both live in sandy, open habitats, but the hognose snake is shorter and stouter, with an upturned snout.
02
Size
Adults average 48 to 66 inches (122–168 cm). The largest on record measured 83 inches (211 cm). Hatchlings are large for a snake, generally 10½ to 15 inches (27–38 cm).
03
Range & habitat
The species has a patchy range in the eastern United States. It occurs through the Coastal Plain of the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida, with scattered populations in the mountains of Virginia, in Tennessee and in northern Georgia, and an isolated population in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. In Florida, the Florida pine snake subspecies is found over much of the state but is uncommon or absent in the southern peninsula.
Pine snakes need dry, open habitat with loose, sandy soil: sandhills, sandy pine barrens, and longleaf pine and turkey oak forest. In Virginia they use dry, open, rocky slopes and ridges with sandy soil. Infertile, well-drained sand is essential for digging burrows and nests.
State guides: Florida
04
Diet & predators
Pine snakes are constrictors. Adults eat small rodents and other small mammals, birds and bird eggs. Young snakes also take lizards and insects.
Feeds on
- Mice and other small rodents
- Other small mammals
- Birds and their eggs
- Lizards and insects (young snakes)
05
Behavior & seasons
Pine snakes are excellent burrowers and spend most of their time underground. They are seen on the surface mostly from May to October. In New Jersey they are active from April to October and spend the winter in underground dens.
When approached, a pine snake puts on a bold display. It inflates its lungs and forces the air out in a loud hiss, vibrates its tail and may strike.
06
Reproduction
Pine snakes lay eggs, from June through August depending on the region. Females dig nest burrows in open, sandy soil, and several females sometimes share one nest site. Clutches range from about 3 to 27 eggs, which are among the largest laid by any U.S. snake. Incubation takes roughly 51 to 75 days. Females often return to the same nesting area year after year.
07
Conservation
Pine snakes have declined in many parts of their range. The species is listed as threatened in New Jersey and Georgia, and the Florida pine snake was listed as state threatened in Florida in 2015. In Virginia its status is undetermined. The main threats are habitat loss, fire suppression, fragmentation, road mortality, illegal collection, off-road vehicles, and killing by people and pets.
Keep reading
Sources
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia — Pine snake
- Virginia Herpetological Society — Northern pinesnake
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey — Northern pine snake
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — Florida pine snake status assessment
Data updated October 2026 · How we build these pages