Month by month

What Reptiles and Amphibians Are Out in Tennessee in May

75 reptiles and amphibians are active in Tennessee in May, and 66 are at peak. Peak species include the Pond Slider, Central Ratsnake, Common Watersnake, and Cope's Gray Tree Frog.

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

Full 12-month Tennessee calendar Pick your ecoregion

Species out across Tennessee, by group and month

Group
Snakes	4	13	19	22	21	20	18	19	19	18	13	5
Lizards	1	5	7	7	8	7	6	7	5	5	5	3
Turtles	2	6	9	11	11	11	10	9	8	7	3	2
Frogs and Toads	10	11	13	13	12	12	12	12	12	11	10	9
Salamanders	16	19	26	29	23	21	18	15	19	23	21	14

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

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At peak in May 66

Snakes

peak

SnakesBlack KingsnakeLampropeltis nigra

peak

SnakesCentral RatsnakePantherophis alleghaniensis

peak

SnakesCommon Garter SnakeThamnophis sirtalis

peak

SnakesCommon WatersnakeNerodia sipedon

peak

SnakesCommon WormsnakeCarphophis amoenus

peak

SnakesDeKay's BrownsnakeStoreria dekayi

peak

SnakesDiamondback WatersnakeNerodia rhombifer

peak

SnakesEastern CopperheadAgkistrodon contortrix

venomous

peak

SnakesEastern Hognose SnakeHeterodon platirhinos

peak

SnakesEastern MilksnakeLampropeltis triangulum

peak

SnakesNorth American RacerColuber constrictor

peak

SnakesPlain-bellied WatersnakeNerodia erythrogaster

peak

SnakesQueensnakeRegina septemvittata

peak

SnakesRed CornsnakePantherophis guttatus

peak

SnakesRed-bellied SnakeStoreria occipitomaculata

peak

SnakesRing-necked SnakeDiadophis punctatus

peak

SnakesRough GreensnakeOpheodrys aestivus

peak

SnakesSmooth EarthsnakeVirginia valeriae

peak

SnakesSoutheastern Crowned SnakeTantilla coronata

peak

SnakesTimber RattlesnakeCrotalus horridus

venomous

Lizards

peak

LizardsBroad-headed SkinkPlestiodon laticeps

peak

LizardsCommon Five-lined SkinkPlestiodon fasciatus

peak

LizardsEastern Fence LizardSceloporus undulatus

peak

LizardsLittle Brown SkinkScincella lateralis

peak

LizardsSix-lined RacerunnerAspidoscelis sexlineatus

peak

LizardsSoutheastern Five-lined SkinkPlestiodon inexpectatus

Turtles

peak

TurtlesCommon Snapping TurtleChelydra serpentina

peak

TurtlesEastern Mud TurtleKinosternon subrubrum

peak

TurtlesEastern Musk TurtleSternotherus odoratus

peak

TurtlesNorthern Map TurtleGraptemys geographica

peak

TurtlesOuachita Map TurtleGraptemys ouachitensis

peak

TurtlesPainted TurtleChrysemys picta

peak

TurtlesPond SliderTrachemys scripta

peak

TurtlesRiver CooterPseudemys concinna

peak

TurtlesSouthern Painted TurtleChrysemys dorsalis

peak

TurtlesSpiny SoftshellApalone spinifera

peak

TurtlesStripe-necked Musk TurtleSternotherus peltifer

Frogs and Toads

peak

Frogs and ToadsAmerican BullfrogLithobates catesbeianus

peak

Frogs and ToadsAmerican ToadAnaxyrus americanus

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 ToadsNorthern Cricket FrogAcris crepitans

peak

Frogs and ToadsPickerel FrogLithobates palustris

peak

Frogs and ToadsSouthern Leopard FrogLithobates sphenocephalus

Salamanders

peak

SalamandersBlue Ridge Blackbelly SalamanderDesmognathus mavrokoilius

peak

SalamandersBlue Ridge Dusky SalamanderDesmognathus orestes

peak

SalamandersBlue Ridge Two-lined SalamanderEurycea wilderae

peak

SalamandersCave SalamanderEurycea lucifuga

peak

SalamandersCherokee Blackbelly SalamanderDesmognathus gvnigeusgwotli

peak

SalamandersCherokee Mountain Dusky SalamanderDesmognathus adatsihi

peak

SalamandersEastern NewtNotophthalmus viridescens

peak

SalamandersImitator SalamanderDesmognathus imitator

peak

SalamandersLong-tailed SalamanderEurycea longicauda

peak

SalamandersNorthern Gray-cheeked SalamanderPlethodon montanus

peak

SalamandersNorthern Slimy SalamanderPlethodon glutinosus

peak

SalamandersPygmy SalamanderDesmognathus wrighti

peak

SalamandersRed SalamanderPseudotriton ruber

peak

SalamandersRed-cheeked SalamanderPlethodon jordani

peak

SalamandersSanteetlah Dusky SalamanderDesmognathus santeetlah

peak

SalamandersSeal SalamanderDesmognathus monticola

peak

SalamandersSpring SalamanderGyrinophilus porphyriticus

peak

SalamandersThree-lined SalamanderEurycea guttolineata

peak

SalamandersWhite-spotted Slimy SalamanderPlethodon cylindraceus

Shoulder season in May 9

Snakes

shoulder

SnakesNorthern CottonmouthAgkistrodon piscivorus

venomous

Lizards

shoulder

LizardsGreen AnoleAnolis carolinensis

shoulder

LizardsMediterranean House GeckoHemidactylus turcicus

introduced

Frogs and Toads

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsGreen TreefrogDryophytes cinereus

shoulder

Frogs and ToadsSpring PeeperPseudacris crucifer

Salamanders

shoulder

SalamandersEastern Red-backed SalamanderPlethodon cinereus

shoulder

SalamandersMississippi Slimy SalamanderPlethodon mississippi

shoulder

SalamandersSouthern Two-lined SalamanderEurycea cirrigera

shoulder

SalamandersSpotted Dusky SalamanderDesmognathus conanti

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.

Tennessee in May

What reptiles and amphibians are out in Tennessee in May?

75 reptiles and amphibians are active in Tennessee in May, and 66 are at peak. Peak species include the Pond Slider, Central Ratsnake, Common Watersnake, and Cope's Gray Tree Frog.

Are venomous snakes active in Tennessee in May?

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