State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of Missouri
Missouri is the Ozarks in the south and prairie and farmland up north. Three-toed Box Turtles are the most-reported herp. Blanchard's Cricket Frogs and Western Ratsnakes are common. April is the busiest month. The Eastern Copperhead, Northern Cottonmouth, Timber Rattlesnake and Pygmy Rattlesnake live here.
62 species4 ecoregions4 venomous
Search entire stateSpecies out across Missouri, by group and month
| Group | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snakes | 1 | 5 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 14 | 3 |
| Lizards | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| Turtles | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| Frogs and Toads | 2 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 2 |
| Salamanders | 1 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
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 Missouri
Seasons shift a lot between Missouri's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Ozark Highlands
59 speciesKarst hills, springs and glades full of snakes, toads and box turtles.
View calendar →Central Great Plains
49 speciesPrairie, farm ponds and river bottoms with toads, turtles and collared lizards.
View calendar →Mississippi Alluvial Plain
46 speciesRiver bottoms and bayous with alligators, watersnakes and cottonmouths.
View calendar →Interior Low Plateaus
63 speciesRolling hills, caves and streams with toads, ratsnakes and pond sliders.
View calendar →Venomous here: Eastern Copperhead, Northern Cottonmouth, Pygmy Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake. Don't handle any snake you can't identify.
About Missouri
When are reptiles and amphibians most active in Missouri?
April is the busiest month in Missouri, with 51 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from March through November.
What reptiles and amphibians live in Missouri?
62 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 24 snakes, 13 frogs and toads, 10 turtles, 9 salamanders, and 6 lizards. The most-reported are the Three-toed Box Turtle, Blanchard's Cricket Frog, and American Toad.
Are there venomous snakes in Missouri?
Yes. The Eastern Copperhead, Northern Cottonmouth, Timber Rattlesnake, and Pygmy Rattlesnake live here. Don't handle them.
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.