About 150 types of snakes reside in the United States. The bulk of these are non-venomous and primarily safe. They play a crucial function in managing the population of rodents and other insects. Garter snakes (genus Thamnophis) prevail in the United States and are our regular buddies while gardening or working outside. Garter snakes differ significantly, so how do they compare to other snakes, and how huge do they get?
A Few Facts About Garter Snakes
- Most snakes lay eggs, however the typical garter snake will bring to life 10-40 live snakes, which are right away independent.
- Garter snakes are versatile and can twist into more protective positions than other snakes.
- When they mate, garter snakes form into groups, or “mating balls,” made from more than a lots males and several women.
- Though some snakes appear frightening, garter snakes are important to pest control for gardens and metropolitan locations.
- Garter snakes are reasonably safe, though their bites include some venom to help control their victim. This venom is not strong enough to hurt people.
©Chris Hill/Shutterstock.com
Types of Garter Snake
Garter snakes are dispersed extensively throughout North America, with about 35 types noted in the chart below.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Aquatic garter snake | Thamnophis atratus | Arizona and New Mexico, and in the Mexican states of Sonora, Chihuahua, and Durango |
| Blackbelly garter snake | Thamnophis melanogaster | Mexico |
| Blackneck garter snake | Thamnophis cyrtopsis | Central California |
| Bogert’s garter snake | Thamnophis bogerti | Oaxaca, Mexico |
| Butler’s garter snake | Thamnophis butleri | Southwestern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala |
| Checkered garter snake | Thamnophis marcianus | Southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America |
| Common garter snake | Thamnophis sirtalis | North America |
| Conant’s garter snake | Thamnophis conanti | Puebla and Veracruz, Mexico |
| Cope’s mountain meadow snake | Thamnophis copei | Mexico |
| Fox’s mountain meadow snake | Thamnophis foxi | Mexico |
| Giant garter snake | Thamnophis gigas | Arizona and New Mexico, and in the Mexican states of Sonora, Chihuahua, and Durango |
| Godman’s garter snake | Thamnophis godmani | Central California |
| Goldenhead garter snake | Thamnophis chrysocephalus | Mexico |
| Highland garter snake | Thamnophis fulvus | Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador |
| Liner’s garter snake | Thamnophis lineri | Mexico |
| Longtail alpine garter snake | Thamnophis scalaris | Mexico |
| Madrean narrow-headed garter snake | Thamnophis unilabialis | Mexico |
| Mexican garter snake | Thamnophis eques | Mexico and in the United States (Arizona and New Mexico) |
| Mexican roaming garter snake | Thamnophis errans | Chihuahua, Durango, Jalisco, Nayarit, and Zacatecas States of Mexico |
| Montane garter snake | Thamnophis exsul | Mexico |
| Narrow-headed garter snake | Thamnophis rufipunctatus | Central California to Baja California, Mexico |
| Northwestern garter snake | Thamnophis ordinoides | California, Oregon, and Washington; in Canada, it is discovered in British Columbia |
| Plains garter snake | Thamnophis radix | Southern Mexico |
| Ribbon snake | Thamnophis saurita | Eastern North America |
| Rossman’s garter snake | Thamnophis rossmani | Mexico |
| Short-tail alpine garter snake | Thamnophis scaliger | Mexico |
| Shorthead garter snake | Thamnophis brachystoma | Central United States as far north as Canada and as far south as Texas |
| Sierra garter snake | Thamnophis couchii | California and Oregon in the United States |
| Southern Durango found garter snake | Thamnophis nigronuchalis | Durango, Mexico |
| Sumichrast’s garter snake | Thamnophis sumichrasti | Mexico |
| Tamaulipan montane garter snake | Thamnophis mendax | Mexico |
| Tepalcatepec Valley garter snake | Thamnophis postremus | Mexico |
| Two-striped garter snake | Thamnophis hammondii | Central British Columbia, main Alberta, and southwestern Manitoba in Canada, Central United States |
| West Coast garter snake | Thamnophis validus | Mexico |
| Western ribbon snake | Thamnophis proximus | Central California to Baja California, Mexico |
| Western terrestrial garter snake | Thamnophis elegans | main British Columbia, main Alberta, and southwestern Manitoba in Canada, Central United States |
| Yellow-throated garter snake | Thamnophis pulchrilatus | Mexico |
Garter Snake Size: How Big Do They Get?
Snakes differ greatly in size, from the green anaconda maturing to 30 feet in length to the Barbados threadsnake, determining up to about 4.09 inches. Garter snakes run towards the smaller sized side, reaching 18 to 51 inches—someplace in between the length of a windscreen wiper and one-and-a-half golf putters.
©Matt Jeppson/Shutterstock.com
Garter Snake Size: Largest Garter Snake Ever Recorded
Though they vary from 18 to 51 inches, the majority of garter snakes will be in between 22 and 30 inches. Occasionally, however, a garter snake will surpass this size.
In 2006, Jonathan Wiens, a master’s trainee at the University of Manitoba, found a red-sided garter snake with a length of 52.8 inches—the biggest garter snake on record. He discovered the female while keeping track of a den of snakes near Manitoba. The snake was over 12 years of ages, much older than the generally anticipated 4 to 5 years.
Places You’re Most Likely to Encounter a Garter Snake
Where you are probably to experience a garter snake has a bit to do with circulation and a bit to do with the environment you discover yourself in.
Garter Snake Range
As the most extensively dispersed snake in North America, garter snakes exist in all of the adjoining United States. The map listed below demonstrate how lots of types remain in each state.
Garter Snake Habitations
Much of the diet plan of garter snakes depends upon the existence of amphibians. This discusses their requirement to be near to water. Many of the types in the western parts of North America are more marine than otherwise. They can adjust to lots of environments as long as water neighbors. Garter snakes reside in forests, fields, meadows, forests, and rural yards. You can often see them near ponds with high, grassy weeds. These are the locations you are probably to experience a garter snake.
©Cathleen Wake Gorbatenko/Shutterstock.com
Conclusion
Garter snakes live throughout North America and offer exceptional bug control. Their bites are reasonably safe to people, and they attempt to run away instead of attack when threatened. Their size likewise adds to their non-threatening look, with lengths varying from 18 to 51 inches.
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