(Opheodrys vernalis)
Click on the picture to see a movie.
Created By:Rebecca S. and Brittany T.
Introduction
As you can tell from it's distinctive color it is the Green Snake.
Description
This
small , stream lined snake is a bright grass green with along tapering
tail. It is of a lighter green color like The Rough Green Snake.
Its underside is white, tinged, with pale yellow. Hatchlings are
bluish-gray or dark olive green.
Breeding
It
mates in the spring and late summer, then lays 3 to 11 cylinder shaped
thin shelled eggs late July to August. A choice egg-laying site is
sometimes shared by a number of females. Occasionally , with the
short incubation period of this species' eggs, young are born live, usually
the young hatch in 4 to 23 days and are 4 to 6 1/2 inches long.
Habitat
This
snake lives in Sandy areas where there are wet prairie meadows, grassy
marshes, or moist grassy fields along forest edges.
Food Chain
This
species feeds on insects and spiders.
Location
Green
snakes live only in the remainders of prairie land in the northwest counties
of Indiana.
Characteristics
Active
during the day, the capable climber is largely terrestrial. Its color
provides excellent camouflage as it moves through grassand low shrubs in
search insects and spiders large numbers of this species may over winter
together.
Conservation Status
This
snake is listed threatened because it has lost most of its natural prairie
habitat and is subjected to the toxic effects of pesticides from the prey
it eats.
