The coral snake is one of the most recognised snakes in North America due to the distinct coloured bands of red, yellow, and black. The order of the bands can be an indicator of whether or not the snake is venomous. You many have heard the phrase "Red and Black, a friend of Jack; Red and Yellow kill a fellow." If the red and black bands are adjacent to each other, then the snake is most likely not venomous. If the red and yellow bands touch each other, stay away; this snake is venomous. This nursery rhyme is only useful in North America. In other parts of the world, there are other variations of the coloured bands. The coral snake is relatively small with an average length of 3 feet. There are some aquatic species of coral snakes which utilise a flat tail to aid in swimming.