Photo: Laura Gaudette, CC BY 4.0

Pygmy Rattlesnake

Sistrurus miliarius barbouri

How to spot it

Small and gray with dark blotches and often a reddish stripe down the back. The tiny rattle sounds like a buzzing insect.

Distribution in Florida

Entire State

Where you’ll see it

Pine flatwoods, wet prairies, lake edges and yards near natural areas.

Good to know

Small but venomous. Easy to overlook, so watch where you put your hands and feet.

Often confused with

Small non-venomous snakes like young racers and hognose snakes.