Butler's Garter Snake

Thamnophis butleri

Butler's garter snake is a small, short-headed snake with three stripes. It feeds mainly on earthworms and leeches, and occasionally on small frogs or rodents. Active from april to mid-september, the snake hibernates during the winter months in burrows formerly occupied by crayfish or small mammals. It occupies open areas on the edges of wetlands. Often well concealed in dense grass with lots of dead vegetation, the snake is also common in rural areas where it can be found in abandoned lots under cardboard and similar debris. Climate changes seem to be the biggest problem for Butler's garter snake.