06/17/2026
A Scarlet Snake (Cemophora coccinea) found in Big Cypress during my most recent trip to Florida.
Found right next to our campsite by complete coincidence, I shined this little guy while heading out for our first herping walk of the night.
At first, I definitely thought this was a much more uncommon Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) but a coccinea is still a pretty neat find!
These fossorial snakes look very similar to a Scarlet Kingsnake, but can be distinguished by distinct pattern variations as well as a white belly.
While definitely not the rarest snake in Florida, and certainly not a target for this trip, it was still at welcome find nonetheless!
After a short photo sesh and a healthy amount of admiration, this beautiful snake was released back under the rock it was found next to.