Eastern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus)

County List:

Rule:

Mixed Forested/Nonforested Landscapes or Nonforested Landscapes

      Fields/Pasture
   adjacent to:
      (Lake or Pond or River or Any Emergent Wetland or Sedge Meadow or Lowland Brush or Bog)

Habitat List:

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Literature:

This species inhabits the grassy edges of marshes, ponds, lakes, and streams. They swim well but rarely dive underwater. Ribbon snakes are alert, active animals, and when disturbed they can glide through dense vegetation with surprising speed. Frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, and small fish are the favored foods. Unlike other garter snakes, ribbon snakes normally do not eat earthworms.

Habitat: Sunny areas with low, dense vegetation that is near bodies of shallow quiet water. Damp meadows, grassy marshes, northern sphagnum bogs borders of ponds, lakes, and meandering creeks. Semiaquatic.

Special Habitat Requirements: Shallow, permanent water in open, grassy habitat.

Habitat: Ribbon snakes prefer the edges of wetland habitats that contain bushes and abundant supplies of amphibians. They have been reported from a diversity of wetland habitats including streams, ponds, lakes, swamps, marshes, and bogs. In Maine, ribbon snakes have been observed along shores of lakes and ponds in herbaceous vegetation and scrubby swales. Carpenter reported that eastern ribbon snakes in Michigan hibernated in grassy pastures that were well drained and contained clumps of sumac. He also reported ribbon snakes hibernating in an ant hill.