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 into Mexico and parts of 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. Widely distributed and adaptable to human-altered environments, though localized threats include habitat destruction and intentional killing due to misidentification.
Physical Description
Small, slender snake with light brown to grayish coloration, featuring a pale central dorsal stripe bordered by small dark spots or dashes. The belly is typically whitish or pinkish, and the head shows characteristic dark markings below the eyes and on the neck. Scales are keeled.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen shown appears to be a juvenile or small adult, roughly 20 to 25 cm in length. Adults typically reach total lengths of 23 to 38 cm, with a maximum recorded length of around 52 cm.
Habitat
Highly adaptable, found in moist woodlands, fields, marshes, floodplains, and frequently in suburban areas and urban gardens under debris, logs, or rocks. Elevation ranges from sea level to over 1,400 meters.
Diet & Feeding
Specialized feeder focusing primarily on soft-bodied invertebrates such as slugs, earthworms, snails, and occasionally small amphibians. Uses active foraging in damp microhabitats to locate prey.
Reproduction
Viviparous (gives birth to live young). Mating occurs in spring following brumation, and females give birth to litters averaging 10 to 20 young in late summer.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. Widely distributed and adaptable to human-altered environments, though localized threats include habitat destruction and intentional killing due to misidentification.
Cultural Significance
Acts as an important ecological controller of garden pests like slugs and snails, providing valuable natural pest suppression in residential yards and agricultural settings.
Notable Features
Remarkably tolerant of urban and suburban environments, often thriving in small backyard gardens where larger snake species cannot survive.