Herpetofauna: One Life's List

Thamnophis sauritus sauritus
Eastern Ribbon Snake

Johnson Co., Illinois. May 2001

Here's a good-sized female sauritus, found under a piece of plywood and now featured on top of it.  The ribbon snake's clean lines are beautiful to behold.

How to tell at a glance if it's a Ribbon Snake or a Garter Snake?  The labial scales (above and below the mouth) on  Ribbon Snakes are clean white with no markings - Garter Snakes typically have dark vertical marks between each labial.

Unlike Garter Snakes, Ribbon Snakes usually don't eat earthworms, preferring salamanders, frogs and fish.  They tend to stick closer to aquatic habitats as well.