Florida Coral Snake (Micrurus fulvius)
I was doing some work in the woods today, working on the final 40 feet of fence that
will completely fence off the lake property when I came across this little guy.
I threw my car keys down to give some scale of his size.
At first glance he looks like Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) or a
Scarlet Snake (Cemophora cocinnea), both species are mimics and non-venomous.
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Looking at him closer I found his head. It is black. Forget all
the rhymes you learned about Florida snakes as a child. A black head
on a colorful snake means danger and venomous.
"Red touches yellow, kills a fellow. . ." = Coral Snake
"Red touches black. . . friend of Jack . . . " = Kingsnake or Scarlet Snake
The Coral Snake is a relative of Old World cobras and is extremely
dangerous. However, the snake is shy and will retreat unless threatened.
Most bites occur when someone picks one up (with an ungloved hand)
or puts a bare foot into a shoe where the snake has taken refuge.
I was wearing gloves -- as always -- and removed
them to get this shot with my index finger for scale (above).
He was not happy with me getting in his space but he did not rear up to
strike like the much more dangerous Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus)
that inhabits our woods would have done. The rattlesnake is more dangerous
because of its aggressive nature.
Coral snakes possess one of the most potent venoms of any North American snake.
The snakes have short fangs that cannot penetrate thick clothing, however
any skin penetration is a medical emergency that requires immediate
attention. Their venom contains a powerful neurotoxin that paralyzes the
breathing muscles. Normally that venom is reserved for other snakes,
lizards, frogs, nestling birds, and rodents.
I always wear shoes when working outside. Here is another shot of
the snake with my size 12 shoe. Click on any image to enlarge.
While the Coral Snake inhabits a variety or ecosystems in Florida this
one is living in dry, well-drained flatwoods and scrub -- perhaps the most
dangerous of Florida ecosystems -- because there are so many venomous species
living therein. I looked at the thermometer on my phone after I saw the snake,
it was 88° F (31° C), perfect weather for snakes to emerge from whatever hibernation
they might have been in this non-winter.
Above: I went to pick the little guy up for a better photo. . .but then thought
better of it as he was getting agitated, hissing and coiling.
The average adult is 20-30 inches (51-76 cm). The record
length is 47.5 inches (121 cm). This one was small. . .maybe 18 inches (46 cm).
After our brief encounter I left him to go on looking for a mate,
or a meal, or whatever he was doing and I gave up on the fencing
project for the day. I've encountered the thickest part of the woods and
am not all that motivated to finish anyway.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
The central peninsula of Florida is the area where one is most
likely to be bitten by a Coral Snake. The graphic above shows bite
incidents over the past 10 years. Volusia County has one of the
highest incidences of Coral Snake bite reports. On average 47
bites are reported every year.
NO ANTIVENIN®
Note too that there is no longer an effective anti-venom produced for
envenomation by Micrurus fulvius. While it is a long and often boring
story of corporate greed and government incompetence. . . the short
story is that Wyeth Pharmaceuticals now owned by Pfizer, Inc. quit making
the anti-venom in 2003 due to costs . . .and the government has found no
company that will make the product in the years since.
The FDA has extended the expiration date of North American Coral
Snake Antivenin® (spelling by manufacturer) that expired in 2008. . .
until October 31, 2012. So that means good luck if you are bit.
The Florida Poison Control Center recommends that no one touch
or try to capture or kill any Coral Snake that may have bitten them because
such activity might result in more bites. Rather one should call 911 or get to an
emergency room as soon as possible. They also recommend taking a
photo of the snake if possible, calling poison control at 1 (800) 222-1222,
and resting the envenomated limb lower than the heart while washing
the bite with soap and water to remove venom on skin surfaces.
It is also a good idea to remove all jewelry and constrictive clothing
To see images of the new pond construction project