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Gartersnakes, sometimes called garden snakes, are probably the most widely known of all Ohio snakes. The name derives from the longitudinal stripes on the body which resemble the design on once-stylish sock garters. Three species of gartersnakes occur in Ohio: the Eastern gartersnake, Plains gartersnake, and Butler's garter nake. The Butler's gartersnake was named for Amos Butler, an early Indiana naturalist. |
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Butler's Gartersnake
Thamnophis butleri
At-a-Glance
• Length: 15-20 inches
• Peak Breeding Activity: March-April
• Typical foods: frogs, toads, salamanders, earthworms, minnows, and mice |
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Description
Gartersnakes--close relatives of the watersnake--are slender, medium-sized species which may attain a length of a yard or more, but are usually 18 to 26 inches long. Normally they have yellowish stripes on a dark background, but coloration and pattern are extremely variable. Butler's gartersnake has a lateral stripe that covers the third row of scales, as well as the adjacent halves of rows two and four.
Habitat and Habits
These snakes occur in a wide variety of moist habitats, such as wet woodlands, meadows, bogs, and marshes, and along drainage ditches and streams. The Butler's gartersnake is chiefly an inhabitant of flat, open fields. Although its range covers most of glaciated Ohio, it occurs only in isolated colonies.
Reproduction and Care of the Young
Butler's gartersnakes are ovoviviparous; eggs are fertilized within the female's body and develop and hatch within her. Females give birth in mid-to late summer to 4 to 20 live young. Once the young are born, there is no parental care. |
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