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Snakes

Great Plains Ratsnake

Pantherophis emoryi

Across the regions where it's common, the Great Plains Ratsnake peaks from April to September.

Shows up in 8 ecoregions and 4 states

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Snakes

Great Plains Ratsnake

Pantherophis emoryi

Look, don't take. Many states regulate collecting reptiles and amphibians. Photograph it, log it on iNaturalist and leave it where you found it.

Description

Pantherophis emoryi, commonly known as the Great Plains rat snake, is a species of nonvenomous rat snake in the family Colubridae. The Great Plains rat snake is typically light gray or tan in color, with dark gray, brown, or green-gray blotching down its back, and stripes on either side of the head which meet to form a point between the eyes.Wikipedia ↗

Habitat

The Great Plains rat snake prefers open grassland or lightly forested habitats, but is also found on coastal plains, semi-arid regions, as well as rocky, moderately mountainous regions. The species is native to the central part of the United States, from Missouri to Nebraska, to Colorado, south to Texas, and into northern Mexico.Wikipedia ↗

When it's active

It is primarily nocturnal, and oviparous, laying clutches of as many as 25 eggs in the late spring. The Great Plains rat snake tends to remain still for a majority of its time awake, which is odd for a nocturnal being.Wikipedia ↗
Jackie T · CC BY 4.0

Often mistaken for

Eastern Copperhead, Broad-banded CopperheadThough superficially resembling the venomous copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) and often killed as a result of this mistaken identity, the corn snake lacks functional venom and is harmless to humans. Wikipedia ↗Corn snakes can sometimes be confused with venomous southern copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix), but the two can be differentiated by the narrower head, lighter coloration, and square-shaped spots that are found in red corn snakes. Animal Diversity Web ↗Copperheads vs. young ratsnakes, corn snakes, watersnakes and hognose snakes →

When and where it's active

Each row is its own calendar, counted from records in that area. Seasons shift by place.

PeakShoulderQuiet

Ecoregions

States

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
ColoradoKansasNew MexicoTexas

About the Great Plains Ratsnake

When is the Great Plains Ratsnake most active?

Across the regions where it's common, the Great Plains Ratsnake peaks from April to September.

Where does the Great Plains Ratsnake live?

It has enough records to show in 8 ecoregions and 4 states, including Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas.

What does the Great Plains Ratsnake look like?

It's often confused with the Eastern Copperhead and Broad-banded Copperhead.