Creature Feature: Slytherin
They go by many names.
Danger Noodle.
Nope Rope.
Boop Snoot.
But at the end of the day, they remain silly names for snakes found throughout the world. Michigan contains 18 of the 3000+ species of snakes found thus far. Of these 18, the snake most commonly found throughout the state is a species known as Thamnophis sirtalis, more commonly known as the common garter snake. So let us slither on down to learn more about these noodles in this month’s Creature Feature.
Garter snakes can come in a variety of colors, but the colors most frequently found around here typically include yellow, black, and olive green scales. Many subspecies of this snake can be found across most of the US, with a few exceptions being the southern Rocky Mountain region, the Colorado Plateau region, and the Southwest desert region. Since they are pretty widespread, you may find one dwelling in forests, fields, prairies, and wetland habitats.
As cold-blooded reptiles, garter snakes get their energy by basking in the sun.
Although garter snakes pose no threat or danger to humans, the same cannot be said for small animals that serve as ideal prey for the species. Depending on the species or subspecies, a garter snake may contain small traces of venom within its saliva. The venom acts as a neurotoxin - a toxic substance that affects the nervous system of the organism exposed to it. Again, not strong enough to harm humans, but is an advantage when it comes to hunting prey such as worms, insects, amphibians, rodents, and small birds. Predators of the garter snake may also face risk too! Since the snake is able to resist the toxins given off by some of the prey they eat, such as toads and the rough-skinned newt, any predators that eat garter snakes may pick up the toxins that dwell inside of the snake from its meals. Think of it like a reverse uno card.
When we think of reptiles, one of the images that comes to mind are scaled creatures that lay eggs. Interestingly, there are some reptiles that do not lay eggs or create nests. We call this condition ovoviviparous. This means that fertilized eggs are hatched while they are still within the body of the female, thus resulting in a live birth. The process begins in the spring, when full sunny days begin to melt much of the snow. Males emerge from their dens first, and there are more males than females found throughout any given population. As soon as a female emerges from its den, all of the males converge around the female in hopes to successfully mate. This forms what is known as a “mating ball”, a bunch of snakes all tangled together for the purpose of mating. Sometimes, a male will emerge late and fail to be a part of the ball. To counter this, the late male may release pheromones that mimic a female garter snake, thus causing nearby garters to converge onto it instead of another female. All of the male snakes release their body heat, quickly energizing the male that had a late start to begin with. After everything is said and done, births occur in the summer through early fall.
Young garter snake showing vibrant colors.
One last thing I wished to shed light on: I have heard countless comments from youth of all ages comment on how they discovered a snake hole that goes straight underground. My reply has often been the same.
“How did the snake…dig the hole?”
Click here to learn more about garter snakes
Submitted by Zach Mork, naturalist, May 2023