You’re lucky if you get to see a snake in the wild: their excellent vibration detection means they’ll often slither under cover before you get close. They spend a great deal of time hidden – in underground hideouts, rock crevices or tall grasses – and mainly break cover in the early or late hours of the day when the temperature’s not too hot.
But if you are lucky enough, you’ll know their iridescent scales, intricate patterns and bold colours make them fascinating to watch. And none are so beguiling as the following spectacular species.
10 most beautiful snakes
1. San Francisco Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia)
This slender, multicoloured snake has been listed as endangered since 1967, with its distinct markings making it vulnerable to poaching by private breeders. It also faces destruction of habitat – wetlands and other water bodies in California. Despite its tropical appearance, it's relatively harmless to humans and doesn't have fangs.
2. Paradise tree snake (Chrysopelea paradisi)
The bold green, yellow and black markings on the paradise tree snake make a mesmerising mosaic. However, it's difficult to catch a glimpse of one in the wild as they spend a lot of time way up off the ground in the forests of Southeast Asia, western Indonesia and the Philippines. It's a type of flying snake that can glide up to 10m between trees by climbing to a high branch before propelling itself off.
3. Green tree python (Morelia viridis)
The green tree python, found in New Guinea, Indonesia and parts of Australia, is known for its striking green hue. But it doesn't actually turn that shade until it reaches between 6 and 12 months old. Juveniles start life bright yellow, red or red-brown. The green coloration helps them to camouflage into tropical trees, which they mostly leave at night to hunt for prey.
4. Eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius)
The Eastern coral snake, found in the southeast US, is just one of more than 100 species of small and secretive venomous snakes from the cobra family. The smooth and shiny scales are made up of black, red and yellow bands of colour that completely encircle its body. They have deadly venom, however, they are not effective at delivering it, and records of bites in the US are incredibly rare.
5. Eyelash viper (Bothriechis schlegelii)
This small, venomous pit viper native to Central and South America, is found in humid, tropical rainforests. Its eyelash-like scales above its eyes are thought to help with camouflage. It lives in trees, resting on branches where it waits to ambush prey, such as birds, frogs and small mammals. Eyelash vipers have striking colouring, which can range from yellow and green to red and even pink.
6. King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
Is there any species more majestic than the king cobra? It's the world’s longest venomous snake, growing up to 5.5m in length. It has scales that range in colour from olive to bronze, and it is distinctive because of its hood that it flares to deter predators and rivals. It lives in India and Southeast Asia and has a fearsome reputation, carrying enough venom in one bite to kill 10 humans.
7. Corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus)
Although popular as pets as they are non-venomous, the wild corn snake can be found in dry scrublands and forests of the US. It has a distinctive checkerboard pattern on its underside, and its name probably originates from its frequent presence near grain stores where it hunts rodents. It's a constrictor and relatively docile in nature.
8. Banded sea krait (Laticauda colubrina)
This dapper-looking, monochrome sea snake is found in warm coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific region. Unlike most sea snakes, it's amphibious, spending time both in water and on land. It has a flattened, paddle-like tail that make it an excellent swimmer, but it comes ashore to rest and lay its eggs.
9. Green tree viper (Trimeresurus stejnegeri)
The green tree viper or bamboo viper is another bright-green beauty that camouflages easily into its forest habitat. It's found in Asia, and some individuals also have a distinctive red or white stripe along their sides. It is venomous and plays an important role in local ecosystems, controlling rodent and amphibian populations.
10. Ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus)
This small, shy snake native to North America has dark-coloured scales on the top of its body to blend into its natural rocky or forest habitat. However, when it wants to ward off predators, it reveals its vivid underside – often bright red, orange or yellow. It also has a matching-coloured ring around its neck. Adults grow to about 36cm and eat small prey such as earthworms, slugs, amphibians and insects.
Looking for more weird and wonderful animals?
Check out our guide to the weirdest animals in the UK, the rarest dog breeds, the most intelligent animals and the most colourful animals in the UK.
Main image credit: Getty Images