Butler Garter Snake

Species of special concern and species of greatest conservation need.

Butler garter snake. The butler s gartersnake is the smallest of ontario s four members of the genus thamnophis and grows to only 69 centimetres in total length though typically it is less than 50 centimetres long. Butler s garter snake range butler alloy snakes are small robust alloy snakes with three well defined yellow or orange stripes that run along the length of their body in a background color of black brown or olive. Typically they have yellow stripes on a dark background but coloration and pattern can vary tremendously. Will also inhabit vacant urban and suburban areas.

These stripes occupy the 3rd scale row and parts of the 2nd and 4th rows. One down the back and one on each side on the third and part of the second and fourth scale rows. The butlers garter snake is a small slender snake averaging 38 51 cm 15 20 in in total length including tail with three yellow to orange stripes along the length of its body. Like its close relative the short headed garter snake and unlike other garter snakes found in its range it has a small blunt head.

Its head is relatively narrow not much wider than its body and its scales are keeled with. The butler s garter snake is a relatively small garter snake species found in the great lakes region. Butler s gartersnake thamnophis butleri is a small non aggressive gartersnake with three distinct longitudinal yellow stripes on its dark brown back. It is also found in the lower peninsula of michigan northwestern ohio northeastern.

Butler s garter snake is olive brown to black with yellow or orange side stripes. The background color can range from olive brown to black and it may also be possible to discern two rows of dark spots between the side and back stripes. Sometimes they have two rows of dark spots running between their central stripes and the two side stripes. Occasionally a melanistic form of this species with a black unstriped back occurs though not as commonly as melanistic eastern gartersnakes.

There also is a yellow stripe running down the back and sometimes there are 2 rows of dark spots between the side stripes and the back stripe. 15 29 adult total length status. Clair river and lake saint clair along with a relict population in luther marsh. This snake was first described in 1889 by e d.

Butler s gartersnake thamnophis butleri a special concern species in wisconsin prefers almost any open or semi open canopy wetland habitat and adjacent open or semi open canopy upland habitat including prairies old fields and weedy vacant lots. In canada it is found in southwestern ontario mostly along the detroit river st. The chin and. Prefers wet meadows and prairies borders of marshy ponds and lakes and other moist grassy areas.

It is brown with three yellow stripes.