Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Thamnophis, Species: T. sirtalis
North America, ranging from the subarctic regions of Canada down through the United States to parts of northeastern Mexico.
Look up Garter Snake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Thamnophis, Species: T. sirtalis
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, with widespread populations and high adaptability to modified environments.
Physical Description
Displays a pattern of dark blotches and stripes along a lighter background, typically brown or olive, with keeled scales and a slender body shape.
Size & Dimensions
Estimated specimen length is around 18-24 inches. Typical adult size ranges from 18 to 54 inches in total length.
Habitat
Found in a diverse range of habitats including meadows, woodlands, marshes, hillsides, and agricultural fields, often near water sources such as streams, ponds, and ditches.
Diet & Feeding
Diet consists of amphibians, earthworms, small fish, and occasionally small rodents or other reptiles, captured through active foraging.
Reproduction
Viviparous species, giving birth to live young. Mating typically occurs in the spring after emerging from brumation, with litters ranging from 10 to 40 offspring.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with other natricine snakes like ribbon snakes (Thamnophis saurita) and water snakes (Nerodia species), distinguished by specific stripe patterns and scale counts.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, with widespread populations and high adaptability to modified environments.
Cultural Significance
Often encountered in suburban areas and rural gardens, serving a valuable ecological role in controlling amphibian and invertebrate populations.
Notable Features
Exhibits great color variation across its extensive geographic range and possesses mild salivary secretions used to subdue prey.
Notes
At entrance to house