How to Identify the Plains Garter Snake (Identification Guide)
Recognize the Plains Garter Snake by its bright orange or yellow mid-dorsal stripe, olive-to-brown body, and checkered lateral pattern.
Read the full Plains Garter Snake encyclopedia entry →
Key identifying features
The Plains Garter Snake is a medium-sized, striped snake native to the central United States and southern Canada, best recognized by a strikingly bright mid-dorsal stripe—often vivid orange—that contrasts sharply with its duller body color. This bold central stripe is one of the most useful features for distinguishing it from other garter snake species in overlapping ranges.
Coloration & pattern
The background color is typically olive, gray, or brown, marked with a checkered pattern of dark blotches arranged in two rows on each side. Running down the center of the back is a broad stripe that is frequently bright orange, yellow, or occasionally white, standing out distinctly against the body. The lateral stripes, located low on the sides (on scale rows two and three), are usually less vivid and can appear pale yellow, greenish, or grayish. The belly is typically pale gray or greenish, sometimes with faint dark spotting.
Head, eyes & scales
The head is only slightly wider than the neck and often darker than the body, sometimes with an olive or grayish-brown cast. Eyes are moderate in size with round pupils. Scales are keeled, producing a matte, non-glossy body surface typical of garter snakes.
Size & body shape
Adults generally range from 15 to 28 inches (38 to 71 cm) in length. The body is moderately stout, similar in build to the Common Garter Snake, with a tail of average proportional length rather than the elongated tail seen in ribbon snakes.
Range & habitat where you'll see it
This species occurs across the Great Plains and upper Midwest of the United States into south-central Canada, inhabiting prairies, grasslands, marshes, and areas near ponds and streams. It tolerates a range of moisture conditions and is often found farther from permanent water than some other garter snake species.
How to tell it apart from look-alikes
The Common Garter Snake can show orange in its stripes as well, but the Plains Garter Snake's mid-dorsal stripe is typically more consistently bright and orange, and its lateral stripes sit lower on the body, occupying scale rows two and three rather than higher rows. The checkered blotch pattern between the stripes is usually well developed and fairly regular in the Plains Garter Snake. Compared to ribbon snakes, this species is stockier with a shorter tail relative to body length and shows the characteristic checkered pattern rather than plain, unspotted flanks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most distinctive feature of the Plains Garter Snake?
A bright, often orange, mid-dorsal stripe that stands out sharply against the duller, checkered body color.
Where are the lateral stripes located on this species?
They sit relatively low on the body, on the second and third scale rows, and are usually less vivid than the central stripe.
How does the Plains Garter Snake differ from the Common Garter Snake?
Its mid-dorsal stripe is typically more consistently bright orange, and its lateral stripe placement is lower on the body, along with a well-developed checkered pattern.
What habitat does the Plains Garter Snake prefer?
Prairies, grasslands, and marshy areas across the Great Plains and upper Midwest, often ranging farther from water than some other garter snakes.
What texture are its scales?
The scales are keeled, giving the body a rough, matte texture rather than a smooth, glossy sheen.