![]() ![]() The eastern garter snake is a very commonly seen resident of Virginia. They are a very arboreal species, commonly found in trees, barns and the occasional attic. They are generally black in color, though some, like the photo, may still retain some of their juvenile coloration (young rat snakes are grey with black splotches), and have a black and white “checkerboard” pattern on their belly. As their name suggests, they feed predominantly on rodents, drawing them closer to people where mice and rats are most active. While their sheer size makes them formidable, Eastern Rat Snakes are actually very docile, and will typically flee at the first chance when encountering people. More commonly known as the Black Rat Snake, this snake is Virginia’s longest native snake, capable of reaching up to 8 feet in length! It is one of the most commonly encountered snakes on the East Coast, and can regularly be found in close proximity to humans and their homes. Virginia is home to more than thirty species of snakes, but I’ve narrowed this post down to just a handful of species that are encountered most frequently around local homes and gardens. Today, I thought it’d be a good idea to briefly introduce a few snake species so that homeowners might better be able to identify the snakes that most commonly turn up in local yards. I recently posted an instructional guide on what to do if/when you find a snake in your yard. Identifying Common Snakes By Thomas Waser In Cold Blooded Creatures
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