A garter snake is a small to medium-sized snake belonging to the genus Thamnophis in the family Colubridae. They are native to North and Central America and can be found in all of the lower 48 United States, and nearly all of the Canadian provinces south of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut—with the exception of Newfoundland and Labrador. Here are some key facts about garter snakes:
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Appearance: Garter snakes are highly variable in appearance, with about 35 recognized species and subspecies. Generally, they have large round eyes with rounded pupils, a slender build, keeled scales (appearing ‘raised’), and a pattern of longitudinal stripes that may or may not include spots (although some have no stripes at all). Certain subspecies have stripes of blue, yellow, or red, mixed with black and beige-tan markings. They also vary significantly in total length, from 18 to 51 in (46 to 130 cm).
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Habitat: Garter snakes are common throughout the Southeast and most of North America and are found in a wide variety of habitats, including meadows, marshes, woodlands, and hillsides. They tend to prefer moist, grassy environments and are often found near water, such as the edges of ponds, lakes, ditches, and streams.
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Diet: Garter snakes are carnivores and feed on a variety of small animals, including insects, earthworms, leeches, small fish, grasshoppers, and other insects. Occasionally, they will eat small birds and rodents.
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Reproduction: Common garter snakes are ovoviviparous (bearing live young). The young are incubated in the lower abdomen, about halfway down from the snakes body. Gestation is usually two to three months. Most females in the northern parts of their range give birth to from 4 to 80 young between late July and October. Most litters range from 10 to 40 young, and litter size depends on the size of the female, with larger females giving birth to larger litters.
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Behavior: Garter snakes are generally shy and non-aggressive. If handled, they may struggle and discharge a foul secretion from the anal gland, and some may strike. They are low-level predators, feeding on many small animals and in turn being eaten by other predators higher in the food web. These snakes are one of the few kinds of animals that can eat toads, newts, and other amphibians with strong chemical defenses.
Garter snakes are harmless to humans and are not venomous.
