• What kind of snake is this?

    Question

    Recently moved to Chardon and have seen two sankes in yard. One is a black snakes ( assuming non poisonous ?) and the other I'm not sure of. I've attached a couples of pictures. Please advise if this is Poisonous. Thanks.

    Naturalist's Response

    Wow, those are great photos!

    The snake in your photo is a garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis.  They’re found throughout the county, and can range from the size of a pencil to the size of a belt.

    They can also show an amazing variety of colors, but all have the three distinctive, garter-like stripes that give them their name.

    Garter snakes patrol yards and forests, looking to ambush any small, snack-sized creatures.  Like all the snakes currently found in Geauga County, they’re non-venomous.

    Thanks for sharing!

    -Naturalist Chris Mentrek