Dekay's Brownsnake
Storeria dekayi • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Storeria, Species: Storeria dekayi
Common across North America, ranging from southern Canada through the eastern half of the United States and into northern Mexico.
Look up Dekay's Brownsnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Non-venomous
Danger Level
Harmless - poses no threat to humans or pets; they are small, shy, and virtually never bite even when handled.
Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Storeria, Species: Storeria dekayi
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN). Highly resilient to urban development, though they face threats from pesticide use and domestic pets.
Physical Description
Small, slender snake with keeled scales. Coloration is typically brown, gray, or tan with a lighter dorsal stripe bordered by two rows of small dark spots. A dark spot is usually present beneath the eye and on the side of the neck. Pupils are round.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen appears to be an adult, approximately 9 to 13 inches long. The species typically ranges from 9 to 15 inches with a record maximum of about 20 inches.
Habitat
Generalist species found in forests, grasslands, and marshes. They are highly adapted to human-disturbed areas and are frequently found in residential gardens, parks, and vacant city lots within the leaf litter or under debris.
Behavior & Temperament
Primarily fossorial and secretive, spending most time under rocks or leaf litter. They are diurnal or crepuscular. When threatened, they may flatten their bodies to appear larger or release musk from their cloaca, but they rarely strike.
Diet & Feeding
Specialized diet consisting mainly of soft-bodied invertebrates like earthworms, slugs, and snails. They use specialized teeth to extract snails from their shells.
Reproduction
Viviparous (gives birth to live young). Litters typically range from 5 to 25 young, born in late summer.
Venom Profile
Non-venomous - no medically significant venom.
Look-alikes
Often confused with the Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata), which has a bright red belly, or the Garter Snake (Thamnophis ssp.), which is generally larger with more distinct longitudinal stripes.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN). Highly resilient to urban development, though they face threats from pesticide use and domestic pets.
Cultural Significance
Value lies in its ecological role as a natural pest control, consuming slugs and snails that damage garden plants and agricultural crops.
Notable Features
Notable for its extreme tolerance of urban environments, making it one of the most common snakes encountered by people in major metropolitan areas throughout its range.