Brown Snake
Storeria dekayi • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Storeria, Species: Storeria dekayi
Eastern and central North America, ranging from southern Canada through the eastern United States down to Mexico and Central America.
Look up Brown Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Storeria, Species: Storeria dekayi
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, as the species is widespread, adaptable, and tolerant of human-modified environments.
Physical Description
Small, slender body with light brown to gray coloration, featuring a pattern of dark spots along the back and sides. The head is distinct with dark markings, and the scales are keeled.
Size & Dimensions
Specimen pictured is likely a juvenile or small adult, around 20 to 30 cm long. Typical adult size ranges from 23 to 38 cm, with a maximum recorded length of about 52 cm.
Habitat
Found in a wide variety of habitats including forests, fields, wetlands, and heavily urbanized areas. Often found hiding under rocks, logs, debris, or in suburban gardens.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds primarily on slugs, earthworms, and snails. Uses active foraging strategies in moist microhabitats to locate slow-moving soft-bodied prey.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young. Typically produces a litter of 3 to 31 young in the late summer, usually between August and September.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, as the species is widespread, adaptable, and tolerant of human-modified environments.
Cultural Significance
Acts as an important natural controller of garden pests like slugs and snails. Often encountered by homeowners in yards and basements.
Notable Features
Remarkably tolerant of urban environments, frequently thriving in suburban lawns and city parks where other snake species struggle to survive.