Vermicella annulata
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The bandy-bandy (Vermicella annulata), also commonly known as the hoop snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The word bandy-bandy (bandi-bandi) traces back to the indigenous dialect of Kattang, from the Taree region, New South Wales. There are 5 known species of bandy-bandy, all of which are endemic to Australia.
The bandy-bandy is a smooth-scaled, glossy snake with a distinctive pattern of sharply contrasting black and white rings that continue right around the body. Bandy-bandys are strikingly distinguishable from other Australian land snakes by their unique banding pattern, which gives the species both its common names and its scientific name (from the diminutive form, annul-, of the Latin anus, meaning "ring"). Their tail is relatively short, having fewer than 35 subcaudals and the tip is blunt, unlike other elapids. The dorsal scales are in 15 rows at mid body. The average total length (including tail) is 50 to 60 cm (20 to 24 in), but size is highly variable between sexes.
The family Elapidae is distinguished from other snake families by their proteroglyphous dentition. They have at least one pair of fangs that are hollow... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bandy Bandy sighting in Blue Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 36th most-seen of the 44 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October to May
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bandy Bandy in Blue Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June to September, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bandy Bandy sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Bandy Bandy sightings, Blue Mountains National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Lamington National Park (Australia, about 20%) and Springbrook National Park (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Elapidae
The closest relatives of the Bandy Bandy that you can see in Blue Mountains National Park (family Elapidae, Elapid Snakes) are Red-bellied Black Snake (about 30%), Highlands Copperhead (about 30%) and Eastern Tiger Snake (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Bandy Bandy is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Blue Mountains National Park (13 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
