Month by month

What Reptiles and Amphibians Are Out in South Carolina in April

71 reptiles and amphibians are active in South Carolina in April, and 61 are at peak. Peak species include the Green Anole, American Alligator, Pond Slider, and Southern Toad.

Counted from iNaturalist research-grade observations recorded inside South Carolina. Seasons shift across the state, so for a closer match, pick your ecoregion.

Full 12-month South Carolina calendar Pick your ecoregion

Species out across South Carolina, by group and month

Group
Snakes	6	14	20	22	22	22	21	19	20	20	18	9
Lizards	3	6	8	10	10	10	10	10	10	9	6	4
Turtles	2	6	7	8	8	7	7	7	6	5	3	2
Frogs and Toads	10	15	18	18	16	16	17	17	17	16	11	10
Salamanders	8	12	12	12	10	8	4	3	4	8	5	5

Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).

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At peak in April 61

Snakes

peak

SnakesBanded WatersnakeNerodia fasciata

peak

SnakesBrown WatersnakeNerodia taxispilota

peak

SnakesCentral RatsnakePantherophis alleghaniensis

peak

SnakesCommon Garter SnakeThamnophis sirtalis

peak

SnakesCommon Ribbon SnakeThamnophis saurita

peak

SnakesCommon WatersnakeNerodia sipedon

peak

SnakesCommon WormsnakeCarphophis amoenus

peak

SnakesDeKay's BrownsnakeStoreria dekayi

peak

SnakesEastern CopperheadAgkistrodon contortrix

venomous

peak

SnakesEastern Hognose SnakeHeterodon platirhinos

peak

SnakesEastern KingsnakeLampropeltis getula

peak

SnakesEastern RatsnakePantherophis quadrivittatus

peak

SnakesMudsnakeFarancia abacura

peak

SnakesNorth American RacerColuber constrictor

peak

SnakesNorthern CottonmouthAgkistrodon piscivorus

venomous

peak

SnakesPlain-bellied WatersnakeNerodia erythrogaster

peak

SnakesRed CornsnakePantherophis guttatus

peak

SnakesRed-bellied SnakeStoreria occipitomaculata

peak

SnakesRing-necked SnakeDiadophis punctatus

peak

SnakesRough GreensnakeOpheodrys aestivus

peak

SnakesScarletsnakeCemophora coccinea

peak

SnakesTimber RattlesnakeCrotalus horridus

venomous

Lizards

peak

LizardsBroad-headed SkinkPlestiodon laticeps

peak

LizardsCommon Five-lined SkinkPlestiodon fasciatus

peak

LizardsEastern Fence LizardSceloporus undulatus

peak

LizardsEastern Glass LizardOphisaurus ventralis

peak

LizardsGreen AnoleAnolis carolinensis

peak

LizardsLittle Brown SkinkScincella lateralis

peak

LizardsSoutheastern Five-lined SkinkPlestiodon inexpectatus

Turtles

peak

TurtlesCoastal Plain CooterPseudemys floridana

peak

TurtlesCommon Snapping TurtleChelydra serpentina

peak

TurtlesEastern Mud TurtleKinosternon subrubrum

peak

TurtlesEastern Musk TurtleSternotherus odoratus

peak

TurtlesPainted TurtleChrysemys picta

peak

TurtlesPond SliderTrachemys scripta

peak

TurtlesRiver CooterPseudemys concinna

peak

TurtlesSpiny SoftshellApalone spinifera

Alligators

peak

AlligatorsAmerican AlligatorAlligator mississippiensis

Frogs and Toads

peak

Frogs and ToadsAmerican BullfrogLithobates catesbeianus

peak

Frogs and ToadsBarking Tree FrogDryophytes gratiosus

peak

Frogs and ToadsCope's Gray Tree FrogDryophytes chrysoscelis

peak

Frogs and ToadsEastern Narrow-mouthed ToadGastrophryne carolinensis

peak

Frogs and ToadsEastern SpadefootScaphiopus holbrookii

peak

Frogs and ToadsFowler's ToadAnaxyrus fowleri

peak

Frogs and ToadsGreen FrogLithobates clamitans

peak

Frogs and ToadsGreen TreefrogDryophytes cinereus

peak

Frogs and ToadsLittle Grass FrogPseudacris ocularis

peak

Frogs and ToadsNorthern Cricket FrogAcris crepitans

peak

Frogs and ToadsPickerel FrogLithobates palustris

peak

Frogs and ToadsSouthern Cricket FrogAcris gryllus

peak

Frogs and ToadsSouthern Leopard FrogLithobates sphenocephalus

peak

Frogs and ToadsSouthern ToadAnaxyrus terrestris

peak

Frogs and ToadsSquirrel Tree FrogDryophytes squirellus

Salamanders

peak

SalamandersAtlantic Coast Slimy SalamanderPlethodon chlorobryonis

peak

SalamandersCoastal Plain Dwarf SalamanderEurycea quadridigitata

peak

SalamandersEastern NewtNotophthalmus viridescens

peak

SalamandersRed SalamanderPseudotriton ruber

peak

SalamandersSouthern Blackbelly SalamanderDesmognathus amphileucus

peak

SalamandersSouthern Two-lined SalamanderEurycea cirrigera

peak

SalamandersThree-lined SalamanderEurycea guttolineata

peak

SalamandersWolf Dusky SalamanderDesmognathus lycos

Shoulder season in April 10

Lizards

shoulder

LizardsBrown AnoleAnolis sagrei

introduced

shoulder

LizardsMediterranean House GeckoHemidactylus turcicus

introduced

shoulder

LizardsSix-lined RacerunnerAspidoscelis sexlineatus

Frogs and Toads

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsAmerican ToadAnaxyrus americanus

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsPine Woods Tree FrogDryophytes femoralis

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsSpring PeeperPseudacris crucifer

Salamanders

shoulder

SalamandersBlue Ridge Two-lined SalamanderEurycea wilderae

shoulder

SalamandersMarbled SalamanderAmbystoma opacum

shoulder

SalamandersSavannah Dusky SalamanderDesmognathus campi

shoulder

SalamandersSpotted SalamanderAmbystoma maculatum

Peak and shoulder ratings are rough guidance, not a schedule. Weather, elevation and the year can shift any species by weeks.

Rare and protected species are left off on purpose. Look, don't take, and never handle a venomous snake.

South Carolina in April

What reptiles and amphibians are out in South Carolina in April?

71 reptiles and amphibians are active in South Carolina in April, and 61 are at peak. Peak species include the Green Anole, American Alligator, Pond Slider, and Southern Toad.

Are venomous snakes active in South Carolina in April?

Yes. The Northern Cottonmouth, Eastern Copperhead, and Timber Rattlesnake can be active in April. Watch where you step and don't handle them.