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 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, as it is widespread, adaptable, and tolerant of habitat modification by humans.
Physical Description
Small, slender snake with brown to grayish-brown coloration, featuring a lighter dorsal stripe bordered by small dark spots or dashes. The head is slightly distinct from the neck, and scales are typically keeled.
Size & Dimensions
Estimated specimen length is approximately 25-30 cm. Typical adult size ranges from 20 to 38 cm, with a maximum recorded length of about 50 cm.
Habitat
Found in a wide variety of habitats including moist woodlands, fields, marshes, and heavily urbanized areas such as gardens and parks. Often found hiding under rocks, logs, boards, and other debris.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds primarily on slugs, earthworms, snails, and soft-bodied invertebrates, using an active foraging strategy to hunt in damp microhabitats.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young. Mating typically occurs in the spring, resulting in litters ranging from 3 to 30 young born in late summer.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, as it is widespread, adaptable, and tolerant of habitat modification by humans.
Cultural Significance
Acts as an important natural controller of garden pests like slugs and snails, benefiting agriculture and gardening.
Notable Features
Highly urban-tolerant, often persisting in heavily populated suburban areas where other snake species disappear.