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
Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide distribution, large population, and high adaptability to human-altered environments.
Physical Description
Light brown to grayish-brown body with a lighter central dorsal stripe bordered by small dark spots or dashes. The head is distinct from the neck with dark markings on the sides of the head near the jaws. Scales are heavily keeled, and the body has a robust, cylindrical build.
Size & Dimensions
This specimen is likely an adult around 30 cm in length. Typical adult size ranges from 23 to 38 cm, with a maximum recorded length of about 53 cm.
Habitat
Found in a wide variety of damp habitats including woodlands, marshes, fields, suburban gardens, and urban parks. Often hides beneath logs, rocks, leaf litter, and debris.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds primarily on slugs, earthworms, snails, and soft-bodied insects. Uses an active foraging strategy, locating prey primarily by scent.
Reproduction
Viviparous, giving birth to live young rather than laying eggs. Typical litter sizes range from 3 to 20 young, produced annually during the late summer months.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with other small brown snakes such as the Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) and juvenile Garter Snakes (Thamnophis species), but distinguished by specific head markings and scale count.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide distribution, large population, and high adaptability to human-altered environments.
Cultural Significance
Acts as an important controller of garden pest populations like slugs and snails, serving a beneficial ecological role in urban and suburban yards.
Notable Features
Exhibits specialized tooth adaptations designed for extracting soft-bodied prey like slugs and snails from their shells.