Northern ribbon snake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Northern ribbon snake |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Thamnophis |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
T. s. septentrionalis
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| Trinomial name | |
| Thamnophis saurita septentrionalis Rossman, 1963
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The northern ribbon snake (scientific name: Thamnophis saurita septentrionalis) is a type of garter snake. It is one of four different kinds, or subspecies, of the ribbon snake. These snakes are known for their long, slender bodies.
About the Northern Ribbon Snake
The northern ribbon snake is a thin snake. It usually has a black or brown body. You can spot it by the three bright yellow or white stripes. These stripes run along its back and sides. Its head is black, and the scales around its mouth are white. The snake's belly is white or light yellow. Young snakes and adults mostly have a white underside. Adult ribbon snakes are about 45 to 65 centimeters (18 to 26 inches) long.
Where It Lives
Northern ribbon snakes live in parts of the United States and Canada. You can find them in southern Maine and New York. They also live in Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. In Canada, they are found in southern Ontario and Nova Scotia. They also live in northern Ohio and Minnesota. Sadly, this snake is listed as an endangered species in Wisconsin. This means it is at risk of disappearing there.
Ribbon snakes love wet places. They often live in marshes, which are like grassy wetlands. You can also find them near the edges of lakes, ponds, and streams. They are very good swimmers.
What It Eats
Northern ribbon snakes are carnivores, meaning they eat other animals. Their diet includes many small creatures. They like to eat frogs and tadpoles. They also hunt salamanders, small fish, and various insects.
Life Cycle and Young
Northern ribbon snakes have their babies in late summer. A mother snake can have anywhere from 3 to 26 young at one time. When they are born, the baby snakes are about 7 to 9 inches (18 to 23 cm) long. They have the same colors and patterns as the adult snakes. Like most garter snakes, the mother gives birth to live young. This means the babies hatch inside her body and are born alive.
