Storeria occipitomaculata
Silhouette: Alex Slavenko · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Storeria occipitomaculata, commonly known as the redbelly snake or the red-bellied snake, is a species of harmless snake in the subfamily Natricinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to North America (Canada and the United States).
Storeria occipitomaculata is a small woodland species that usually measures 4–10 in (10–25 cm) in total length (including tail). Its dorsal color ranges from orange to gray, black, or brown. It can be distinguished from other species by its bright red or orange underbelly. Many individuals have a light brown ring behind the head.
Storeria occipitomaculata prefers warmer habitats, and in the more northern limits of its range will inhabit abandoned ant mounds. These mounds absorb solar radiation and are insulated which allows for a longer active season. This species, with large eyes and a kinetic skull, is not able to burrow on its own effectively, and abandoned ant mounds allow it access to a warm retreat. Individuals of this species can be found under logs and leafy debris due to its secretive nature.
Storeria occipitomaculata bears live young by ovoviviparity. Studies of the redbelly snake... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Cape Breton Highlands National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Redbelly Snake sighting in Shenandoah National Park on a given day, based on 38 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 9th most-seen of the 20 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Redbelly Snake in Shenandoah National Park on a given day, against under 5% in November to February, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Redbelly Snake sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 5
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Redbelly Snake sightings, Shenandoah National Park ranks 3rd at about 20%. The best odds are in Acadia National Park (United States, about 30%) and Isle Royale National Park (United States, about 30%).
Same family: Colubridae
The closest relatives of the Redbelly Snake that you can see in Shenandoah National Park (family Colubridae, Colubrid Snakes) are Eastern/Central Ratsnake Complex (about 50%), Common Garter Snake (about 40%) and Common Watersnake (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Redbelly Snake is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Shenandoah National Park (38 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.
