State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of Kansas
Kansas is prairie, with woods along the rivers in the east. Blanchard's Cricket Frogs and Ornate Box Turtles are the most-reported herps. Snakes are the biggest group by far. May is the busiest month. The Western Massasauga, Prairie Rattlesnake and Eastern Copperhead all live here.
59 species4 ecoregions5 venomous
Search entire stateSpecies out across Kansas, by group and month
| Group | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snakes | 3 | 20 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 12 | 4 | |
| Lizards | 1 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 1 | ||
| Turtles | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| Frogs and Toads | 4 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 1 | |
| Salamanders | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).
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Hi, I'm Nick. I built Herp Calendar on my own and I keep it free, with no ads. If it has helped you find a herp this season, a small tip goes straight into the hosting and the data work. Only if you can spare it. Either way, I'm glad you're here.
Pick your ecoregion
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Tap a region to see what's out
Ecoregions of Kansas
Seasons shift a lot between Kansas's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Central Great Plains
49 speciesPrairie, farm ponds and river bottoms with toads, turtles and collared lizards.
View calendar →High Plains
24 speciesShortgrass prairie and playa lakes with plains toads and prairie rattlesnakes.
View calendar →Southwestern Tablelands
36 speciesCanyons and breaks with prairie lizards, collared lizards and rattlesnakes.
View calendar →Southern Plains
73 speciesCross timbers and prairie with spiny lizards, sliders and a long snake list.
View calendar →Venomous here: Broad-banded Copperhead, Eastern Copperhead, Prairie Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake, Western Massasauga. Don't handle any snake you can't identify.
About Kansas
When are reptiles and amphibians most active in Kansas?
May is the busiest month in Kansas, with 52 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from March through October.
What reptiles and amphibians live in Kansas?
59 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 28 snakes, 11 frogs and toads, 10 lizards, 8 turtles, and 2 salamanders. The most-reported are the Blanchard's Cricket Frog, Ornate Box Turtle, and Ring-necked Snake.
Are there venomous snakes in Kansas?
Yes. The Western Massasauga, Eastern Copperhead, Prairie Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake, and Broad-banded Copperhead live here. Don't handle them.
Which reptiles and amphibians in Kansas are introduced?
The Italian Wall Lizard is not native here.
Where does this data come from?
Activity calendars are built from iNaturalist research-grade observations (downloaded through GBIF, September 2026), corrected for how many people are out observing each month. Rare and protected species are left off on purpose.