Kenneth L. Krysko photos.

Scientific name: Masticophis flagellum flagellum

Description: The Eastern Coachwhip is one of the largest snakes in North America. Average adult size is 50-72 inches (127-182.8 cm), record is 102 inches (259 cm). Adults are long and slender, and typically have a black head and neck, which gradually fades to tan posteriorly. The belly color matches that of the back. Some individuals may be uniformly tan or cream colored, lacking the dark pigmentation on the head. The head is large and angular, with large eyes shielded by projecting supraocular scales. The scales are smooth, and there are 17 dorsal scale rows at midbody. The pupil is round. Juveniles are brown or tan with indistinct dark dorsal crossbands.

Eastern coachwhip snake: Left to right: Top of the head; underside of the head (chin and throat).

Eastern coachwhip snake: Left to right: Side of the head; front (face view) of the head.

Range: It is found throughout Florida, excluding the keys. Outside of Florida, it is found from Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, east to North Carolina. However, it is absent from most of the Mississippi River delta.

Habitat: It is locally abundant, and occurs primarily in pine and palmetto flatwoods, longleaf pine-turkey oak sandhills, scrub, and along the beaches interspersed with sand dunes, sea oats, and grape vines.

Comments: . Coachwhips are active during the day, are extremely fast on the ground, and are great climbers. Its diet consists of lizards, small mammals, and birds.

Breeding takes place in the spring, and a clutch of 12-16 eggs is laid in late spring and early summer. Little is know about longevity in the wild, but captive coachwhips have lived more than 16 years.

Florida crackers (native Floridians) believe that coachwhips will attack and beat humans with their whip-like tail. This belief has no basis in fact. Violently lashing its body around like a whip would immediately break the snake's back and spinal cord — lashing its body like a whip would be committing suicide. It is called a 'coachwhip' because the large scales on its long, slowly tapering tail, give it the appearance of a braided bullwhip.

They appear to be high-strung, in part because when first encountered, they nervously vibrate the tail and strike in an attempt to scare off the threat. However, given the chance, it will flee. One of the most remarkable traits of this species is the speed with which it moves, racing away on the ground or through vegetation. It can escape in the blink of an eye.

Comparison with other species: The racers (Coluber constrictor) have solid black or bluish-black backs and 15 dorsal scale rows at midbody.

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