Eastern Fox Snake
Pantherophis vulpinus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: Pantherophis vulpinus
North America, primarily found in the Great Lakes region, including parts of Michigan, Ohio, Ontario, and Wisconsin.
Look up Eastern Fox Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Pantherophis, Species: Pantherophis vulpinus
Conservation
Generally considered Least Concern globally, though regional populations face threats from habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and human persecution.
Physical Description
Displays a pattern of dark brown or black blotches along a yellowish or light brown background. The head is distinctively wider than the neck, and scales are weakly keeled.
Size & Dimensions
Estimated length of this specimen is around 3 feet. Typical adults range from 3 to 5 feet, with a maximum recorded length of nearly 6 feet.
Habitat
Found in various habitats including forests, prairies, wetlands, marshes, and agricultural fields, often near bodies of water.
Diet & Feeding
Consists primarily of small mammals such as mice and voles, as well as birds and bird eggs. Hunts through active foraging and ambush, subduing prey via constriction.
Reproduction
Oviparous species, females lay clutches averaging 8 to 27 eggs during the summer months in rotting logs or loose soil.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with massasauga rattlesnakes due to the dark blotched pattern, though fox snakes lack rattles and vertical pupils.
Conservation Status
Generally considered Least Concern globally, though regional populations face threats from habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and human persecution.
Cultural Significance
Plays a vital ecological role in regulating rodent populations in agricultural and natural settings.
Notable Features
Known to mimic rattlesnakes by vibrating their tails rapidly in dry leaves when threatened, producing a rattling sound.