Snake Lab Practical

Prairie Kingsnake

Family: Colubridae

Location: Eastern 2/3 KS

ID: Gray/Tan/Brown w/ dark brown/red (rarely green) blotches; bellies checkered Cream/Yellow w/ Red/brown pattern; singular anal plate; smooth scales; backward U or V on back of head

Life/History: most common in grasslands in forests; primarily eat rodents but will also eat other reptiles; oviparous

Great Plains Ratsnake

Family: Colubridae

Location: Most of KS

ID: Back is Gray/Tan background w/dark gray/brown/green-gray blotches; belly is “Checkered” boldly marked black & white; anal plate is divided; scales are weakly keeled; head looks like a forward spearpoint

Life/History: rocky hillsides canyons and caves; primarily eats rodents and birds; oviparous

Western Ratsnake

Family: Colubridae

Location: Eastern ½ of KS

ID: adults are nearly all black w/ some red and yellow spots; belly is checkered w/ body marked black and white; anal plate divided; scales are keeled

Life/History: an eastern US Snake; riparian corridors; old buildings and suburban areas; eats small mammals and birds

Gophersnake

Family: Colubridae

Location: All of KS

ID: Back: Yellowish background with black/brown blotches; belly is yellowish with black mottling; single anal plate; scales are strongly keeled; large rostral scale

Life/History: hisses loudly; eats small mammals

North American Racer

Family: Colubridae

Location: All of KS

ID: back is Uniform Black/Blue-Gray/Greenish; belly is cream/yellow; anal plate is divided; scales are smooth; big eyes

Life/History: active diurnal generalist predator; eggs rough in texture

Coachwhip

Family: Colubridae

Location: West and South KS

ID: Tail looks like a whip; can be black or yellow-brown; anal plate is divided; scales are smooth; big eyes

Life/History: Active; diurnal; generalist predator;

Rough Greensnake

Family: Colubridae

Location: Southeast KS

ID: long thin green; belly is cream/white; anal plate is divided; scales are keeled

Life/History: active diurnal invertebrate predator; found in bushes shrubs or trees; oviparous

Western Milksnake

Family: Colubridae

Location: All of KS

ID: broad red bands; belly is checkered or banded; single anal plate; smooth scales

Life/History: diurnal until hot then nocturnal; eats lizards rodents and snakes; oviparous

Speckled Kingsnake

Family: Colubridae

Location: All of KS

ID: black snake with yellow specs; belly is cream yellow; single anal plate; scales are smooth

Life/History: diurnal until hot then nocturnal; generalist; oviparous

Plain-bellied Waternsake

Family: Natricidae

Location: East, South, Central KS

ID: gray/brown, dorsal and side blotches offset; belly is clean/cream/yellow; anal plate is divided; scales are strongly keeled; head is large and lightly colored supra labials with dark lines

Life/History: adults are frog specialists; juveniles prefer fish; bask diurnal and forage nocturnal; slow moving water; live birth

Common Watersnake

Family: Natricidae

Location: All of KS/sparse in west

ID: Back: Gray/Brown, Dorsal & Side Blotches Banded; Belly: “Marked” Cream/Yellow with Half-moons; divided anal plate; strongly keeled scales; head is large and has light colored supra labials

Life/History: generalists; diurnal basker nocturnal forager; live birth

Diamond-backed Watersnake

Family: Natricidae

Location: South and Central KS

ID: Back: Reticulated: Black Snake, Painted Brown Through a Chain-link Fence; Belly: “Marked” Cream/Yellow with Half-moons; anal plate is divided; scales are strongly keeled; Head: Large, light colored supralabials with dark lines

Life/History: opportunistic piscivore; diurnal basker and nocturnal forager; live birth

Graham’s Crayfish Snake

Family: Natricidaea

Location: Eastern ½ of KS

ID: Back: Two-tone: Dark brown/gray with cream line right above bell; Belly: “Marked” Cream with two longitudinal “stripes” (sometimes spots); divided anal plate; strongly keeled scales; big goggle eyes

Life/History: crayfish specialists; diurnal but then becomes nocturnal in summer; live birth

Dekay’s Brownsnake

Family: Natricidae

Location: Eastern ¾ of KS

ID: Back: Tan/Gray/Brown with lighter back stripe bordered in black dots; Belly: “Clean or Dotted” Cream/pink/tan/yellow; divided anal plate; keeled scales; Head: Dark cap, two black neck spots and “tear

Life/History: moist environments; soft-bodied invertivore; live birth

Common Gartersnake

Family: Natricidae

Location: Easter 2/3 of KS

ID: Colors are Variable! 3 Light Stripes: 1 “Crisp” dorsal + 2 sides; Belly: “Clean” white/green/gray small dots along edge; single anal plate; keeled scales; labial scales have suturing

Life/History: moist areas; generalist live birth

Plains Gartersnake

Family: Natricidae

Location: Uncommon East of Flint Hills & Absent from SE

ID: Back: Colors are Variable! 3 Light Stripes: 1 “Crisp” dorsal + 2 sides; Belly: “Clean” white/green/gray small dots along edge; single anal plate; keeled scales; heavy labial barring

Life/History: moist areas in open grassy prairies; generalist; live birth

Western Ribbonsnake

Family: Natricidae

Location: Widespread E 1/3, Riparian Corridors W. of Flint Hills

ID: Back: 3 Light Stripes: 1 “clean” dorsal + 2 clean sides; Belly: “Clean” Cream or pale green; single anal plate; keeled scales; clean labials w/ white bar in front of eye, parietal dots; long tail

Life/History: moist areas; eats small frogs and fish; live birth

Lined Snake

Family: Natricidae

Location: Widespread except corners

ID: Back: 3 White-cream-yellow stripes on brown/gray/tan body; Belly: Two rows of “Half-Moons” on Cream or pale green; single anal plate; keeled scales; head is noticeably blunt and tapered

Life/History: locally abundant but secretive; Prairie hillsides, woodland edges, & urban areas under debris; eats earthworms and other small inverts; live birth

Western Wormsnake

Family: Dipsadidae

Location: Forested Regions of Eastern 1/3

ID: Back: Dark Gray/Black, Pink/Coral on sides; Belly: Pink/Coral; anal plate is divided; scales are smooth and shiny; head is flattened

Life/History: fossorial worm eaters; locally abundant; tail spine helps maneuver underground

Ring-necked Snake

Family: Dipsadidae

Location: Eastern 1/3 & Cimarron, Ark, & Smoky Hill Rivers

ID: Back: Gray, Blue-black & Yellow-Orange/Red Neck “Ring”; Belly: Yellow with irregular black spotting; anal plate is divided; scales are smooth; white supra labials with some black spots

Life/History: semi-fossorial worm eater; often found in large groups under cover

Plains Hog-nosed Snaked

Family: Dipsadidae

Location: West 2/3 of KS

ID: Back: Tan-gray Background & Alternating back & Side blotches; Belly: Black with irregular Yellow blocks, dark under tail; divided anal plate; strongly keeled scales; sharply upturned snouts; eye strip
Life/History: Diurnal Terrestrial toad eaters; likes sandy substrate near burrows; digs up prey with its nose; persistent and playing dead

Status: SINC

Eastern Hog-nosed Snake

Family: Dipsadidae

Location: Spotty East of Flint Hills, Sandy areas to West

ID: Back: Highly variable, irregular blotches, red/yellow/gray; Belly: Yellow/gray/olive, darker near rear, tail underside lighter than belly; divided anal plate; strongly keeled scales; upturned snout, eye stripe

Life/History: Diurnal Terrestrial toad eaters; likes sandy substrate near burrows; digs up prey with its nose; persistent and playing dead

Status: SINC

Eastern/Broad-banded Copperhead

Family: Crotalidae

Location: Eastern 1/3

ID: Back: Gray-light Brown, light-edged brown hourglass bands w/light centers; Belly: White, black blotches onto sides; single anal plate; angular head; keeled scales

Life/History: Venomous; juveniles caudal lure; generalist; woodland associate

Northern Cottonmouth

Family: Crotalidae

Location: SE KS

ID: Back: Variable, adults: frequently dark olive/brown; Belly: White some black introgression; single anal plate; keeled scales; angular head with dark eye stripe w/ white border

Life/History: venomous; male combat bigger males; juveniles caudal lure; defensive display with mouth; nocturnal opportunist

Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake

Family: Crotalidae

Location: Kanopolis State Park

ID: Back: Brown/Yellow/Gray with dark diamonds bordered in white; Belly: Clean whitish; single anal plate; keeled scales; Head: White/Cream Bordered Stripe running eye to mouth; white and black banded tail

Life/History: venomous; mammalivore; biggest rattlesnake in KS

Timber Rattlesnake

Family: Crotalidae

Location: Eastern ¼ of KS

ID: Back: Brown/Pink/Tan with Black Chevrons, darkens towards black tail; belly is clean gray/white; single anal plate; keeled scales; Head: Angular. Brown Stripe from Eye to back of jaw; black tail

Life/History: venomous; diurnal spring/fall; nocturnal summer; mammalivore

Status: SINC

Prairie Rattlesnake

Family: Crotalidae

Location: Western ½ of KS

ID: Back: Variable, Greenish gray/light brown, green-brown blotches; Belly: Clean, gray/yellow/cream; singular anal plate; keeled scales; angular head/ light stripes and border dark mask

Life/History: Venomous; diurnal until summer heat; rocky canyons and open prairies; frequently in small mammal burrows; small mammalivore; readily rattles

Western Massasauga

Family: Crotalidae

Location: Eastern 2/3 of KS

ID: Back: Gray/light brown & dark brown blotches; Belly: white with various diffuse/scattered black markings; singular anal plate; keeled scales; 9 large scales on head; tail has bands that are same color as blotches

Life/History: venomous; neonates yellow tail; overwinters in crayfish burrows; diurnal generalist;

Crotalidae

Pitvipers

Dipsadidae

1. “Wormsnake”
2. “Ring-necked snake”
3. “Hog-nosed snakes”
4. “NightSnake”

Colubridae

1. “Racers”
2. “Kingsnakes”
3. “Coachwhips”
4. “Greensnakes”
5. “Ratsnakes”
6. “Gophersnakes”

Natricidae

1. “Watersnakes”

2. “Crayfish Snakes”

3. “Brownsnakes & Red-bellied Snake”

4. “Gartersnakes & Ribbonsnakes”

5. “Lined snake”

6. “Earthsnakes”