I haven't seen but one in my life, despite living in Arkansas more than half of it. Fascinating critters!

Well, I've always called these blacksnakes. I did try to find the scientific ID before posting, but was not sure of that since there are so many color phases. However, I don't think this is one of the hognose snake species, because those have flatter heads in the vertical axis. I'm leaning toward the black form of Elaphe obsolete (previously Pantherophis obsoletus), but would welcome a correction, if needed. In any case, these harmless snakes are very common in this part of Arkansas. I probably see one 40-50 times a year.

I almost quit grilling a few years ago, because of these snakes. We tend to get mice and packrats in our grill over the winter months. Twice, when I was cleaning out the nest residue in the spring, I came up with a handful of blacksnake in the nest. As said, they're harmless … unless they give me heart failure from the surprise.

These snakes also tend to rest in an odd, crooked form that may help someone else confirm the ID. Here's a second photo of that pose, along with a closer shot of the head.

Well, Houzz cut off the head shot, so I'll include it here. And I should mention that this snake isn't necessarily the same species as the one in the first photo above.

I believe the photos are a blacksnake (not a hog nosed). Two different species. I assumed from your descript of cobra you meant hog nosed snake.

Black snakes are everywhere. I even had to cut one out of a section of bird netting once (alive and well) because of hopeless entanglement. Yes, I concur on your latin.

The hog nosed can indeed put on the spread hood look of a cobra...really freaked me out the first time I saw it. Hog nosed isn't as dark as black snake and tends more toward brown and looks more like a timber rattler.

I tentatively submit your first photo is of a Coluber constrictor foxii, aka blue racer.Oh, and despite what wikipedia says about range, they do exist (or used to) here. They're just very intolerant of humans and thus losing ground fast. Fascinating though.

I have never seen a snake do that kinked crawl! Amazing.

dbarron.. I know what you're talking about here. I also had to cut one out of a clunp of netting once also and the darn ungrateful critter bit me twice on my thumb bringing blood while I was trying to help it, They get into some very compromised positions. I found one once caught in the hole in the bottom of an empty flower pot it had tried to get through.

I think dbarron has ID'd them correctly, blue (or black) racer and blacksnake (black ratsnake).

Regarding the racer Wikipedia notes that "They are curious snakes with excellent vision and are sometimes seen raising their head above the height of the grass they are crawling in to view what is around them."

Thanks for the help. I have seen a blue racer here just once over the last 14 years. The one above is more black, so may be the Southern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor priapus). Both are either very rare, or just secretive.

Interesting photos. I've never seen the relaxed, kinked posture before with a snake. But I have only seen that species infrequently, while vacationing.

I almost quit grilling a few years ago, because of these snakes. We tend to get mice and packrats in our grill over the winter months.

==>>> why in the world arent you grilling during winter ...??? ... now that is the real question ... lol ...

crikey what are you.. z6??...7???...8????

ken

ps: if nothing else.. just light it every other weeks or so.. and grill whatever is in there.. lol ...

pps: thx for the snake pix ....

>Is this botanically Heterondon platirhinos, aka Eastern Hognose snake?<

No.

It's not botanically anything. This is a snake not a cobra lily :)

The first snake is a noble looking creature. The kinking is really odd on the second pic, nature is strange.

I have seen three Hognosed snakes here. I don't know which hognose. I had to cut out one from netting. Netting can kill. I still bear guilt about the Horny toad that died in it. I started to bag it in plastic when not in use after that.

Black snake in dawn redwood on my lot this past late spring. I would guess it "kinks" its body to keep a grip on the branch:

A university's site, while looking up the behavior, stated that they kink and remain motionless when frightened. Perhaps it makes them appear less like a snake, and helps them to visually blend into their surroundings.

I came across a blue racer that did that a few years back. The head raising, not the kinking. I was out looking for morels when I startled it. The damn thing raised it head up and then took off with its head still raised. It freaked me out. The thing was huge (well, at least compared to the garter snakes I am used to).

Great pics, by the way. Didn't know about them kinking their bodies. Learned something new.

Rodney

Edit: Oop. Just saw the date on this thread. Didn't know it was a few months old.