Coluber constrictor (non-venomous)

As their name implies, Black racers are dark colored snakes that move very quickly. These slender snakes can reach lengths up to five feet, although most seen in our neighborhood are between two and four feet long. This species may be mistaken for an Eastern Indigo Snake; however racers are much slenderer and far more frequently encountered. Most active during the day during Florida’s warmer months, black racers can be seen quickly slithering across a road or shooting across a hiking trail. Like rat snakes and corn snakes, they eat a wide variety of prey including birds, rodents and lizards and are not uncommon in residential areas.