Common Name: 
Eastern Coachwhip

Scientific Name: 
Masticophis flagellum

Identification: 25-90 in; Head to midbody usually 
dark brown or black becoming tan on the body or 
tail.  Scales are smooth and give the appearance 
of a braided whip.  Some individuals are all black; 
belly dirty white or pink.

Habits: Coach whips are fast moving snakes and 
live in dry, open pinelands. They bite vigorously 
when captured and are good climbers, sometimes 
retreating to trees and shrubs.

Distribution: Upland portions of the Florida Parishes, central and northern Louisiana and the pine flat woods west of Lake Charles.

Comments: A common name for this snake is also the whip snake. Coachwhips thrash about violently when caught, which has given rise to the misconception of trying to "whip" a human with its tail. They are not physically capable of delivering a lashing to humans; they are only attempting to get away into safety. The Coachwhip is non-venomous.