About Thamnophis butleri (Cope, 1889)
Thamnophis butleri, also known as Butler's garter snake, is a small and slender species of garter snake. On average, adult individuals measure 38–51 cm (15–20 in) in total length including the tail. The species has three yellow to orange stripes running the full length of its body. Its body background color ranges from olive-brown to black, and two rows of dark spots can often be seen between the back and side stripes. Many of these features are shared with most other garter snake species, so they do not help distinguish this species reliably. The unique identifying feature of Butler's garter snake is the placement of its lateral (side) stripes. In this species, lateral stripes are centered on the third scale row up from the ventral scales, and also overlap the adjacent second and fourth scale rows. This stripe placement differs from that of all other garter snake species. For people who do not want to get close enough to check lateral stripe placement, other identifying traits are available. Butler's garter snake has an unusually small head for a garter snake. When excited, it tends to thrash in place to escape rather than moving quickly away. The geographic range of Thamnophis butleri includes northwestern Ohio, northeastern Indiana, the eastern portion of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, and the adjacent extreme southern tip of Ontario, Canada. A separate disjunct population of the species is also found in southeastern Wisconsin. Butler's garter snake lives in moist, grassy areas with open canopy, including meadows, wet prairies, marshes, savannas, and grasslands. Like Kirtland's snake, it can also be found in grassy vacant lots in suburban and residential areas. Individuals can often be found hiding under rocks, logs, trash, and boards. The species' diet consists mainly of earthworms, but it may also eat leeches, salamanders, and frogs. Butler's garter snake hibernates in communal groups, often alongside other garter snake species. It is a relatively short-lived snake, and reaches sexual maturity in its second spring. Thamnophis butleri is ovoviviparous. Mating occurs in late March and early April. Young snakes are born in June or July, in broods of four to 14 individuals. Newborn Butler's garter snakes measure 13–18 cm (5.1–7.1 in) in length.
