State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is mostly forested hills and valleys. American Toads and Common Garter Snakes are the most-reported herps. Eastern Red-backed Salamanders live under nearly every log. May is the busiest month. The Timber Rattlesnake and Eastern Copperhead live here.
48 species5 ecoregions2 venomous
Search entire stateSpecies out across Pennsylvania, by group and month
| Group | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snakes | 2 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 2 |
| Lizards | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Turtles | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| Frogs and Toads | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | ||
| Salamanders | 3 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 3 |
Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).
Keep Herp Calendar free
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
Loading map…
Tap a region to see what's out
Ecoregions of Pennsylvania
Seasons shift a lot between Pennsylvania's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Northern and Central Appalachians
40 speciesPlateau forest and streams with newts, red-backed salamanders and ratsnakes.
View calendar →Central Appalachians
54 speciesForested ridges and hollows full of salamanders, with ratsnakes on the rocks.
View calendar →Great Lakes and Hudson Lowlands
28 speciesLowland woods and wetlands with red-backed salamanders, newts and spring peepers.
View calendar →Piedmont
68 speciesRolling hills and suburbs where toads, anoles and ratsnakes are part of daily life.
View calendar →Blue Ridge Mountains
61 speciesSalamander country: wet coves, cold streams, and more salamanders than anything else.
View calendar →Venomous here: Eastern Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake. Don't handle any snake you can't identify.
About Pennsylvania
When are reptiles and amphibians most active in Pennsylvania?
May is the busiest month in Pennsylvania, with 39 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from March through October.
What reptiles and amphibians live in Pennsylvania?
48 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 15 snakes, 15 salamanders, 9 frogs and toads, 7 turtles, and 2 lizards. The most-reported are the American Toad, Common Garter Snake, and Eastern Red-backed Salamander.
Are there venomous snakes in Pennsylvania?
Yes. The Timber Rattlesnake and Eastern Copperhead live here. Don't handle them.
Which reptiles and amphibians in Pennsylvania are introduced?
The Pond Slider 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.