Smooth Green Snake
Opheodrys vernalis
A small, docile, grass-green colubrid of meadows and grasslands, distinguished from its relative by smooth, unkeeled scales.
- Venomous?
- Non-venomous
- Adult length
- 0.3-0.6 m (1-2 ft)
- Range
- Northern and central United States and southern Canada
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Overview
The smooth green snake is a small, gentle colubrid found across grasslands, meadows, and open woodlands of the northern and central United States and southern Canada. Its smooth, glossy scales distinguish it from the closely related rough green snake, which has keeled scales.
It is a harmless insectivore that blends almost perfectly into grass and low vegetation, making it easy to overlook despite being locally common.
How to identify it
- Bright, uniform grass-green upperparts, fading to pale yellow, cream, or white below
- Smooth, glossy scales lacking any ridging
- Small, slender body with a narrow head barely distinct from the neck
- Large eyes with round pupils
- Distinguished from the rough green snake by smooth scales and typically smaller, more terrestrial habits
Habitat & range
Inhabits open grasslands, meadows, bogs, and open woodland edges across the northern and central United States and southern Canada, often at higher elevations than the rough green snake.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Diurnal and largely terrestrial, foraging through grass and low vegetation for insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates. Extremely docile and rarely bites. Egg-laying, though eggs are often near hatching when laid due to prolonged internal incubation.
Frequently asked questions
Is the smooth green snake venomous?
No, it is completely non-venomous and harmless.
How can you tell it from the rough green snake?
Its scales are smooth and glossy rather than keeled, and it tends to be smaller and more ground-dwelling.
What does it eat?
Insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates found in grass and low vegetation.
Where is it commonly found?
In meadows, grasslands, and open woodland edges across the northern and central US and southern Canada.
Smooth Green Snake guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Smooth Green Snake.
