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| The Black Necked Garter Snake, Thamnophis cyrtopsis (Kennicott, 1890). Photographed in Cochise County, Arizona. It ranges from southern Utah and Colorado southward through much of Mexico to western Guatemala. In elevation, it occurs between sea level and at least 2700 m. Adults reach a total length of 1.114 m. Black Necked Garter Snakes are usually associated with streams in canyons, plateaus, and mountains. Diet is mostly amphibians, particularly frogs. Females produce litters of 14-22 young. |
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| Two Striped Garter Snake, Thamnophis hammondii (Kennicott, 1860). Photograph of a captive specimen. It ranges from Monterey County, California southward into Baja California, with isolated colonies scattered in the peninsula, and a population on Catalina Island. This is a highly aquatic garter snake that is associated with streams and pools in oak woodlands and mixed oak and chaparral. It feeds on amphibians, fishes, and their eggs. Litter sizes of 3-36 have been recorded, the average was about 16 young. |
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| The Checkered Garter Snake, Thamnophis marcianus (Baird and Girard, 1853). Photographed in Maricopa County, Arizona. Adults reach a total length of 1.08m. It ranges from southern Kansas westward to southwest California and eastward to coastal Texas and south into Mexico, with isolated populations in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. This is an arid grassland species that is found in the vicinity of water resources. Food is mostly amphibians but they will eat a variety of other vertebrates and invertebrates. The snake in the photograph was found along an irrigation ditch. |
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| The Plains Garter Snake, Thamnophis radix (Baird and Girard, 1853). Photograph in Will County, Illinois, USA. The snake had just emerged from a hibernaculum (note dirt on head) in March and was basking. |
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| Western Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis proximus (Say, 1823). The Western Ribbon Snake ranges from Indiana and Wisconsin west to Kansas and south to the Gulf Coast. It is widely distributed in eastern Mexico and has isolated populations in Central America as far south as Costa Rica. It is associated with brushy habitats near water. In coastal areas they will enter brackish water in mangrove forests, and they have been found in dry savanna. They feed mostly on amphibians, but may take lizards. Mean clutch sizes range from 8-13 young. |
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| The Narrow Headed Garter Snake, Thamnophis rufipunctatus (Cope, 1875). Photograph of a captive snake from central Arizona. The Narrow Headed Garter Snake ranges from north central Arizona to southwest New Mexico, and occurs from northern Chihuahua to northern Durango, Mexico. It is highly aquatic, using rocky streams and lakeshores in Sonoran riparian scrub. It is known to feed on fish and amphibians. Females give birth to 8-17 young in July and early August. |
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| The Eastern Ribbon Snake, Thamnophis sauritus (Linnaeus, 1766). Photographed near Whitehall, Michigan, USA. The species is widespread east of the Mississippi River from New England to Florida and west to the Mississippi in discontinuous populations. The specimen in the photo is referable to the subspecies T. s. septentrionalis. It is usually close to water in areas of brush, and it is often found a meter or two above the ground. The diet is composed mostly of frogs. Litter size range is 3-26, with an average of about 11 young. |
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| The Common Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis (Linnaeus, 1758), Will County, Illinois. The Common Garter Snake ranges from Canada southward to the Gulf Coast, but it avoids much of the western deserts and high mountains. There are at least 11 currently recognized subspecies. Maximum adult length is 1372 mm, with females growing considerably larger than males. Color and pattern variation are abundant in this species as is the variations in the habitats it uses. In some areas it uses forests, in others it uses grasslands but in both cases the habitats are usually wet, or near water. Often it uses urbanized areas. The Common Garter Snake is a diet generalist, and it appears to eat what is a seasonably available, frogs in the spring, worms and leeches in the summer. But, other vertebrates and invertebrates may also be eaten. Average litter sizes are also variable and range from about 8 to 33, and litters are usually born in the summer or early fall. |
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