State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of South Carolina
South Carolina runs from mountains to Lowcountry marsh. Green Anoles and American Alligators are the most-reported herps. Southern Toads and Squirrel Tree Frogs call on warm nights. April is the busiest month. The Northern Cottonmouth, Eastern Copperhead and Timber Rattlesnake live here.
74 species5 ecoregions3 venomous
Search entire stateSpecies 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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Pick your ecoregion
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Tap a region to see what's out
Ecoregions of South Carolina
Seasons shift a lot between South Carolina's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain
55 speciesLow pine woods, swamps and bays with treefrogs, toads and turtles.
View calendar →Piedmont
68 speciesRolling hills and suburbs where toads, anoles and ratsnakes are part of daily life.
View calendar →Southeastern Plains
86 speciesLongleaf pine, swamps and farmland with the biggest species list on the site.
View calendar →Southern Coastal Plain
85 speciesFlorida and Georgia lowlands with alligators, anoles and treefrogs all year.
View calendar →Blue Ridge Mountains
61 speciesSalamander country: wet coves, cold streams, and more salamanders than anything else.
View calendar →Venomous here: Eastern Copperhead, Northern Cottonmouth, Timber Rattlesnake. Don't handle any snake you can't identify.
About South Carolina
When are reptiles and amphibians most active in South Carolina?
April is the busiest month in South Carolina, with 61 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from February through November.
What reptiles and amphibians live in South Carolina?
74 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 22 snakes, 20 frogs and toads, 13 salamanders, 10 lizards, 8 turtles, and 1 alligator. The most-reported are the Green Anole, American Alligator, and Pond Slider.
Are there venomous snakes in South Carolina?
Yes. The Northern Cottonmouth, Eastern Copperhead, and Timber Rattlesnake live here. Don't handle them.
Which reptiles and amphibians in South Carolina are introduced?
The Mediterranean House Gecko, Brown Anole, and Greenhouse Frog are not native here.
Where does this data come from?
Activity calendars are built from iNaturalist research-grade observations (downloaded through GBIF, September 2026), corrected for how many people are out observing each month. Rare and protected species are left off on purpose.