Snakes of Pennsylvania

Mr. Distasio

Timber Rattlesnake

Family: Viperidae, Pit VipersDescription: Tan/brown with dark stripes across back. Orange/brown line down middle of back. Unmarked head. 23-25 keeled scales. Black tail.Dimensions: 95-74"Breeding: Breeds in spring, after hibernation. Alternative years. 5-17 live young. 10-13“ long, born August- October. Females breed at 4/5 years.Habitat Wooded hillsides and rocky outcrops.Discussion Hibernates in winter, active April-October. Often hibernate with Copperheads and rat snakes. Wait for prey, coiled up. Rats, squirrels and mice form diet. Motionless if approached even by prey until it strikes. Longest living over 30 years

Warning: Rattlesnakes & Copperheads belong to a group of snakes known as pit vipers. These dangerous snakes have a heat-sensitive sensory organ on each side of the head that enables them to locate warm-blooded prey and strike accurately, even in the dark. The curved, hollow fangs are normally folded back along the jaw. When a pit viper strikes, the fangs rapidly swing forward and fill with venom as the mouth opens. The venom is a complex mixture of proteins that acts primarily on a victim's blood tissue. If you hear a rattlesnake shaking its rattle, back away. The snake is issuing a warning, and if the warning is ignored it may bite. There are many factors (temperature being the most important) that determine how a snake will react when confronted by a human. Venomous snakes should always be observed from a safe distance. Pit vipers are never safe to handle. Even dead ones can retain some neurological reflexes, and "road kills" have been known to bite.

Northern Copperhead

Family: Viperidae, Pit Vipers Description: Copper to orange-pink. Brownish/red crossbands on midline of back. Scales in 23-25 rows. Single anal plate.Dimensions: 22-53"Subspecies: Northern - Crossbands hourglass shaped. Breeding: Live young. Breeds Spring through fall, mostly April/May time. 7-10 young in a litter born August-October. Mature after 2-3 years.Habitat: Hillsides, rocky outcrops and woodland.Discussion: Spring/fall basks during the day, nocturnal during warmer seasons. Hides under stonewalls, debris, old farms and rotting logs. Rodents, small lizards, frogs and caterpillars form main diet. Yellow tip of tail used to lure prey

Eastern Hognose

Description: Color can be red, green, orange, brown, grey to black, or any combination thereof depending on locality. They can be blotched, checkered, or patternless. The belly tends to be a solid grey, yellow or cream colored. In this species the underside of the tail is lighter than the belly. Divided anal plate. 23-25 rows of keeled scales.

Dimensions: 20-45 "

Breeding: Breeds spring to fall. 4-61 eggs laid in shallow cavity June/July, thin shelled 1 1/4"long. Hatch after 39-65 days.

Habitat: Sandy-soiled open areas.

Discussion: Harmless. Often distinguished when it plays dead. Will inflate body, hiss and strike if threatened. Will play dead if predator pursues. Will not display 'playing dead' in captivity. Upper jaw has teeth which injects venom to frogs. Rarely bites humans

Northern Ringneck

Description: 10-27". A small, slender snake, with a golden-yellow neck ring. Back gray, olive, or brownish, sometimes approaching black. Belly yellow and typically unspotted. Neck ring may be interrupted, obscure, or occasionally absent. Scales smooth, in 15-17 rows. Anal plate divided.

Habitat: Forest, rocky wooded hillsides.

Discussion: Unlike some of the other Ringneck subspecies, the Northern doesn't have red under the tail.

Northern Black Racer

DescriptionAdult Eastern racers can typically vary from 20 to 60 in total length depending on the subspecies. A typical adult specimen will weigh around 1.23 lb, with little size difference between the sexes. The patterns vary widely between subspecies. Most are solid-colored as their common names imply: black racers, brown racers, blue racers, or green racers. "Runner" is sometimes used instead of "racer" in their common names. All subspecies have a lighter-colored underbelly: white, a light tan, or yellow in color. Juveniles are more strikingly patterned, with a middorsal row of dark blotches on a light ground color. The tail is unpatterned. As they grow older, the dorsum darkens, and the juvenile pattern gradually disappears.

Racers are fast moving, highly active, diurnal snakes. Their diet consists primarily of small rodents, frogs, toads, lizards, and other snakes. Some subspecies are known to climb trees in order to eat eggs and young birds. Despite their specific name, constrictor, they do not really employ constriction, instead simply subduing struggling prey by pinning it bodily, pressing one or two coils against it to hold it in place instead of actually suffocating it. Most smaller prey items are simply swallowed alive.

Mating takes place in the spring, from April until early June. Around a month later the female will lay anywhere from 3 to 30 eggs in a hidden nest site such as a hollow log, an abandoned rodent burrow, or under a rock. The 8-10" long juvenile racers hatch in the early fall. Maturity is reached in approximately 2 years. Racers have been known to lay their eggs in communal sites, where a number of snakes, even those from other species, all lay their eggs together.

They are curious snakes with excellent vision, and are sometimes seen raising their head above the height of the grass they are crawling in to view what is around them. Aptly named, racers are very fast and typically flee from a potential predator. However, once cornered they put up a vigorous fight, biting hard and often. They are difficult to handle and will writhe, defecate and release a foul smelling musk from their cloaca. Rattling their tails among dry leaves, racers can sound convincingly like rattlesnakes.

Black Rat Snake

Description: Glossy black above with white lips, chin, and throat. Juveniles strongly patterned with brown blotches on a gray background.

Dimensions: 42-101"

Breeding: Breed April-June. Oblong eggs, 1 1/2-2 1/4". 5-30 eggs in a clutch laid under vegetation June-August. Hatch in August-October. 11-16" long when born.

Habitat: Arid forests, wooded canyons, swamps, upland, farmland, fields, barnyards.

Discussion: Nocturnal in summer when temperatures are hotter. Eats birds, eggs, lizards and mice. Often shares hibernation spots with Timber Rattlesnakes in northern part of range. Longevity in captivity longer than 20 years.

Eastern Garter Snake

Description: Pattern of yellow stripes on a brown or green background. 7 upper lip scales. Keeled scales in rows of 19. Single anal plate

Breeding: Live young. breeds March-May, gives birth June-August. 7-85 young in a litter. 5-9" long when born.

Habitat:  Wet meadows, marshes, prairie lands, drainage ditches and woodland near water.

Discussion: Most common in America. Active during the day. Hides in vegetation. Diet includes frogs, toads, salamanders and earthworms. Adapts to cool weather so active year round in southern areas but hibernates in large groups. When captured will expel a musk or bite but tempers quickly. Docile soon after. Longest living was 10 years

Eastern Ribbon Snake

Description: Long and slender. Dark back and sides with 3 light stripes. Long tail, third of overall length. 19 rows of keeled scales. Single anal plate.

Dimensions: 18-40"Subspecies: Eastern Ribbon Snake - brownish back, range extends from New York to Florida, west to the Mississippi River.

Northern Ribbon Snake – dark brown or black above, range from Maine through Ontario and Indiana.

Breeding: Breeds in spring, 3-26 live young born July-August. 7-9" long when born.

Habitat: Marshes, bogs, ponds, lake shorelines, swamps and shallow streams.

Discussion:  Always near wet places. Basks in bushes near water. Hides in water if threatened. Glides across water surface instead of diving in like aquatic snakes. Frogs, salamanders and fish form main diet

Eastern Smooth Green Snake

Description: Light green above, with a yellow-tinged whitish belly, and 15 rows of smooth scales. Divided anal plate.

Dimensions: 14-26"

Breeding: Breeds spring-summer. 3-11 eggs, laid July- August. Incubated for 4-23 days. Nesting site shared with other females.

Habitat: Marshes, meadows, and fields.

Discussion: Diurnal. Terrestrial. Camouflaged against grass and in shrubs. Diet of insects and spiders. Hibernates in groups.

Eastern Milk Snake

Description: 24-52”. Gray or tan with large chocolate-brown to reddish-brown, black-bordered blotches down back and smaller blotches on sides. Light Y- or V-shaped patch on nape of neck. Scales smooth, in 19-23 rows. Anal plate single.

Habitat:  Diverse situations: coastal bottomland to pine forests, open deciduous woodland, meadows, rocky hillsides, sand dunes, farmland, and suburban areas; often found in barns.

Discussion: The Eastern occupies the northeastern part of the range of the Common Milk Snake.

Northern Water Snake

 

Description 24-55 " . Reddish, brown, or gray to brownish-black, with dark crossbands on neck region, and alternating dark blotches on back and sides at midbody. Dark back markings wider than spaces between them. Pattern darkens with age, becoming black. Belly white, yellow, or gray, with reddish-brown or black crescent-shaped spots. Scales keeled, in 21-25 rows. Anal plate divided.Warning All water snakes in the genus Nerodia will bite if harassed. Their bite is not venomous. The Common will strike repeatedly, and wounds caused by the bite will bleed profusely because of the anticoagulant quality of the snake's saliva.

Habitat: Found in most aquatic situations from sea level to about 4,800' lakes, ponds, swamps, marshes, canals, ditches, bogs, streams, rivers

Discussion: The Common Water Snake has wide dark markings on back with narrow interspaces.

Red-Bellied Snake

Description: Small, Brown/black/grey with light stripe on back. 4 or 5 stripes down back. Red/orange/yellow belly. Nape of neck has 3 spots. 15 rows of keeled scales. Divided anal plate.

Dimensions: 8-16"

Subspecies: Northern - 3 distinct spots on neck.

Breeding: Breeds spring-fall. 1-21 live young born June-September, 2 3/4-4“ long.

Habitat: Hilly woodlands or bogs.

Discussion: Curls upper lip when threatened. Hides under logs or debris near houses. Diet of slugs, worms and insects.

Northern Brown Snake or Dekay’s Snake

Description: Brown to gray with a lighter center stripe bordered by small black spots; Underside is lighter brown or pink with small black dots at the ends of the scales.

Dimensions: 10-20"

Subspecies:  Northern - Temporal scale has vertical dark bar or stripes.

Breeding: Breeds through spring and fall. Live young born June-September. 3-31 young, 3 -4 “ when born.

Habitat:  Upland and lowland woodlands near fresh and salt water sources. Also swamps, bogs, ponds and gardens.

Discussion:  Diurnal. Nocturnal in summer. Flat rocks, logs and trash serve as shelter, often near damp places. Earthworms, slugs, and snails form main diet. Often hibernate in large groups