Eastern Coral Snake: (Micrurus fulvius fulvius)
Eastern coral snakes (micrurus fulvius fulvius) belong to the elapidae family; this family includes cobras, mambas, kraits and tiger snakes. The eastern coral snake averages in size between 20 to 30 inches long, with the record being 47 inches long.
Eastern coral snakes have slender bodies. Their heads are narrow and their eye pupils are round. Their color patterns consist of red, yellow and black bands, the red bands touch the yellow bands and the black bands are touching the yellow bands. Eastern coral snakes are found throughout Florida, including the upper parts of the Keys. They inhabit areas such as pine woods, pond and lake borders and over grown hammocks, favoring piles of decaying vegetation, rotting logs and old brush piles.
Eastern coral snakes are carnivores, meaning they only consume meat and primarily consume rodents, squirrels, small birds, rabbits, other snakes, lizards, frogs, other snakes and small animals.
Eastern coral snakes are nocturnal, however sometimes they are seen during the day after heavy rains or on overcast days. They are often confused with the harmless king snake, remember this rhyme to help identify this snake; if red touches yellow, kill a fellow; if red touches black, your good jack. Eastern coral snakes are shy and secretive seldom aggressive unless frightened, hurt or agitated. They usually don’t strike like the pit vipers do, instead they tend to bite and then begins to chew injecting its potent venom into its prey or victim. Eastern coral snake bites and fatalities are very rare in humans as they are rarely seen, but if they do bite a human it is usually because it was mistaken for the harmless king snake. In any case if you are ever bitten by an eastern coral snake seek immediate medical treatment, as its venom is neurotoxic, causing adversely affecting the function in the nervous system, causing death.
