During a recent volunteer planting event at the Puschel Preserve, SCCF Coastal Watch Director Kealy Pfau was surprised to discover a juvenile scarlet kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) in a mulch pile.

“This nonvenomous species is native to Florida, but not part of the extant, or living, species on the island,” said SCCF Wildlife & Habitat Management Director Chris Lechowicz.

The scarlet kingsnake is one of the two tri-colored eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) mimics in the state. The other mimic, the scarlet snake (Cemophora coccinea), is not found on Sanibel either but does exist throughout most of Florida.

The venomous eastern coral snake was a reasonably common species on the island until the 1980s. It was last documented in 2002 and is believed to be extirpated or locally extinct. No venomous snakes have been documented on Sanibel or Captiva in recent years.

“This snake almost certainly arrived in plants or mulch purchased from off-island nurseries for the Puschel Preserve planting,” said Lechowicz.

Not first time a scarlet kingsnake ended up on Sanibel

Interestingly, this is not the first time this species has been documented on the island from a similar event. In 1977, near a home on West Gulf Drive, Sanibel naturalist George Weymouth captured a scarlet kingsnake, which was believed to have been brought to the island from a similar circumstance.

These snakes primarily eat small lizards and small snakes, such as ground skinks (Scincella lateralis), anoles (Anolis spp.), and neonate peninsula ribbonsnakes (Thamnophis sauritus sackenii).

“This method of translocation or assisted migration is well documented on the island and not uncommon around the world,” said Lechowicz.

Goods are moved from place to place daily, sometimes containing stowaways. We mostly hear about this in regard to exotic species being moved from place to place.

“In this case, it is a Florida native that was inadvertently brought to the island that it had been unable to reach through natural means,” he added.

Another accidental reintroduction occurred with the native eastern glass lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis), which was considered extirpated since it was last documented in 1959. 

The species was rediscovered in 2012 near SCCF’s Sanibel Gardens Preserve, close to large piles of fill dirt that the city brought in for a project. Since that capture, additional specimens have been documented radiating from that 2012 capture, which are further away each year. 

Similarly, the slew of exotic and invasive lizards established on the island after Hurricane Charley was brought in with thousands of plants from Homestead, FL, nurseries.

This attractive and harmless scarlet kingsnake was likely living in a native plant nursery before it was moved here.

“Because this species is native to Lee County, it was released in the most suitable habitat on the island for this individual — the Bailey Homestead Preserve, where SCCF’s Native Landscapes and Garden Center is located,” said Lechowicz.