State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of Mississippi
Mississippi is pine woods, farmland and the big river delta. Green Anoles and American Alligators are the most-reported herps. Green Treefrogs and Southern Toads call on warm nights. April is the busiest month. The Northern Cottonmouth, Eastern Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake and Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake live here.
54 species4 ecoregions4 venomous
Search entire stateSpecies out across Mississippi, by group and month
| Group | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snakes | 3 | 10 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 5 |
| Lizards | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Turtles | 2 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Frogs and Toads | 9 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Salamanders | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
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 Mississippi
Seasons shift a lot between Mississippi's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Southeastern Plains
86 speciesLongleaf pine, swamps and farmland with the biggest species list on the site.
View calendar →Mississippi Alluvial Plain
46 speciesRiver bottoms and bayous with alligators, watersnakes and cottonmouths.
View calendar →Piney Woods and Loess Hills
61 speciesPine forest and bottomlands with anoles, treefrogs, box turtles and cottonmouths.
View calendar →Southern Coastal Plain
85 speciesFlorida and Georgia lowlands with alligators, anoles and treefrogs all year.
View calendar →Venomous here: Eastern Copperhead, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Northern Cottonmouth, Timber Rattlesnake. Don't handle any snake you can't identify.
About Mississippi
When are reptiles and amphibians most active in Mississippi?
April is the busiest month in Mississippi, with 42 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from February through November.
What reptiles and amphibians live in Mississippi?
54 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 18 snakes, 16 frogs and toads, 7 lizards, 7 turtles, 5 salamanders, and 1 alligator. The most-reported are the Green Anole, American Alligator, and Pond Slider.
Are there venomous snakes in Mississippi?
Yes. The Northern Cottonmouth, Eastern Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake, and Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake live here. Don't handle them.
Which reptiles and amphibians in Mississippi are introduced?
The Mediterranean House Gecko and Brown Anole are 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.