Common Garter Snake
Range
Statewide.
Description
Keeled scales. A striped snake with three light-colored yellow, green or blue stripes on the back, with two wide olive, black or brown stripes between the center light stripe and the stripes on either side. Belly is white, green or gray. Young resemble adults. Adults 18-24 inches in length.
Habitat and Habits
Found in a variety of wet habitats, marshes, floodplains, lake and pond edges and wet pastures. It is active by day from March-November. Mating takes place in spring or autumn and 5-80 young are born in late summer or early fall. It eats amphibians, earthworms, minnows, young rodents and small snakes.