Dekay's Brownsnake
Storeria dekayi • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Natricinae, Genus: Storeria, Species: Storeria dekayi
Eastern and central North America, ranging from southern Ontario and Quebec south to Florida, and west to Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Look up Dekay's Brownsnake 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, due to its very wide distribution, high tolerance for human-altered environments, and large stable populations.
Physical Description
Brownish or grayish body with a lighter central dorsal stripe bordered by small dark spots or dashes. A distinctive dark patch or bar is typically present on the side of the head behind the eye. Scales are heavily keeled, and the body is relatively slender with a small head.
Size & Dimensions
Specimens typically range from 20 to 33 cm (8 to 13 inches) in total length, with a maximum recorded length of about 52 cm (20.5 inches). This individual appears to be a subadult or small adult.
Habitat
Highly adaptable, found in deciduous forests, fields, marshes, and heavily urbanized areas like city parks and suburban yards. They frequently inhabit microhabitats under rocks, logs, boards, and leaf litter.
Diet & Feeding
Specialized feeder primarily consuming soft-bodied invertebrates such as slugs, earthworms, and snails. They actively forage in damp microhabitats during twilight or after rain.
Reproduction
Viviparous (giving birth to live young rather than laying eggs). Mating typically occurs in spring, and females give birth to litters averaging 10 to 20 young in late summer.
Look-alikes
Often confused with the Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) and juvenile Garter Snakes (Thamnophis species). Distinguished by the lack of prominent lateral stripes and specific head markings unique to Storeria dekayi.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, due to its very wide distribution, high tolerance for human-altered environments, and large stable populations.
Cultural Significance
Provides substantial ecological value in urban and suburban gardens by naturally controlling populations of garden pests such as slugs and snails.
Notable Features
Exhibits specialized jaw adaptations allowing them to extract snails from their shells during feeding, and shows remarkable resilience to human habitat fragmentation.