Rough Green Snake
Opheodrys aestivus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Opheodrys, Species: Opheodrys aestivus
Southeastern United States, extending north to New Jersey and southern New York, west to central Texas and eastern Oklahoma.
Look up Rough Green Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Opheodrys, Species: Opheodrys aestivus
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. Populations are generally stable, though local declines occur due to habitat loss and pesticide use.
Physical Description
Bright green dorsal coloration with a yellowish or whitish belly. The body is slender with keeled scales and a relatively long tail. The head is distinct from the neck with large eyes and round pupils.
Size & Dimensions
The pictured specimen is approximately 40 cm in length. Typical adult size ranges from 50 to 80 cm, with maximum recorded lengths up to 115 cm.
Habitat
Arboreal and semi-aquatic habitats, frequently found in bushes, vines, small trees, and herbaceous vegetation near permanent water sources like streams, lakes, and wetlands.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on caterpillars, grasshoppers, crickets, spiders, and other soft-bodied arthropods. Uses an active foraging strategy among foliage.
Reproduction
Oviparous species. Females typically lay clutches of 2 to 14 eggs in moist soil, decaying logs, or under rocks during the summer months.
Look-alikes
Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis), which has smooth scales and typically inhabits open grasslands rather than trees. Various small green colubrids.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. Populations are generally stable, though local declines occur due to habitat loss and pesticide use.
Cultural Significance
Acts as an effective natural controller of insect populations in garden and woodland ecosystems. Well-regarded for its gentle demeanor and striking camouflage.
Notable Features
Exceptional arboreal camouflage, specialized keeled scales aiding in climbing vegetation, and a predominantly insect-based diet which is unusual among many colubrid snakes.