Scientific name: Thamnophis sirtalis Average weight: 150 g Average length: 46 to 137 cm Average lifespan:2 years in the wild and 6 to 10 years in captivity Habitat Historically, the Butler’s gartersnake occurred in prairie habitats but can now be found in fields, wetland edges and other grassy areas. Distribution: This garter snake has an odd northern to central distribution in Ohio.  County records are lacking for much of the core distribution area. The common garter snake is most often found around aquatic habitats, such as ponds, freshwater wetlands and riparian areas. The species can often be found under rocks, logs, trash, and boards. Cope. Status: Species of Special Concern and Species of Greatest Conservation Need. It generally prefers open, prairie-like, grassy areas with water or at least some moisture. Like most other small Canadian snakes, this species has been poorly studied. Map developed from published literature, examination of museum specimens, direct observations, and observations/photographs from trusted sources. Characteristic habitat of Butler’s Gartersnake includes old fields, disturbed sites, urban and industrial sites and Tallgrass Prairie. Although its range covers most of … Other sympatric garter snake species can be distinguished from Butler's garter snakes by the position of … Detroit, Mich., Wayne State University Press. While most garter snakes are a dullish-brown or green shade with stripes that run the length of their body, some species are not striped at all, some are much more brightly colored (for example, some are … Like Kirtland's snake, they may also be found in grassy vacant lots in suburban and residential areas. Scientific Name: Thamnophis butleri Newborns range from 5 – 7.3” in length. We studied how far T. butleri ranges into upland habitats adjacent to wetland hibernacula Literature Cited. Eastern Garter Snakes have side stripes on scale rows 2 and 3. Gartersnake Habitat Range. Description: The Butler’s Garter Snake is another species with three stripes running down the body.  The stripes are always bold, well defined and yellow, although the lateral stripes can lean towards orange.  The ground color is dark brown to black with a tendency towards the darker end of the spectrum.  The area under the lateral stripes but above the belly is a deep chestnut color.  There is very little overall color or pattern variation in this species. Carpenter, Charles Congden. The Butler's is usually a little smaller as an adult, but it has markings very similar to the plains gartersnake. They hibernate together in large numbers during winter months in south facing rocky areas, and may join with other species of snakes. Holman, J. Some of the different ecosystems that they live in include wetlands, marshes, swamps, woodlands, grasslands, forests, and more. Butler’s Gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri) is a small, non-aggressive gartersnake with three distinct longitudinal yellow stripes on its dark brown back. Usually found near aquatic habitats, the common garter snake is just that, common! When excited or threatened this snake often thrashes about from side to side with little forward movement. Butler's Garter Snake (Thamnophis butleri) is an inconspicuous little reptile, usually between a foot and two feet long. The scales are keeled and the anal plate is single. Butler’s Gartersnake can occur in "high" numbers and densities locally and can survive in highly modified habitats (vacant lots, junkyards, gravel pits, etc. However, all of the various species prefer riparian areas. the open land along the Milwaukee River includes over 30 acres of habitat for the Butler, it is considered a prime habitat, and the snake and its habitat are protected by state law. Book Review: A Naturalist’s Guide to the Fishes of Ohio. Butler's garter snakes and their habitat could be destroyed as a project moves foreword. Food: They seem to specialize on earthworms but have been recorded eating frogs and fish. Butler�s Garter Snake is found in meadows, wet prairies, marshes, savanna, grasslands, suburban and residential areas. [revised]. The species is difficult to find in its preferr… Its scientific name is Thamnophis butleri while its common name is Butler’s garter snake. The lateral stripes completely cover the 3rd scale row and the adjacent halves of both the 2nd and 4th scale rows. Adult Coloration: Picture by Andy Avram. MSU Extension Ext. Ruthven, A. G., H. B. T. Gaige, et al. Will also inhabit vacant urban and suburban areas. comm., 2015). The snake is primarily is an inhabitant of flat, open fields. Butler's garter snakes inhabit moist, grassy, open canopy areas, such as meadows, wet prairies, marshes, savannas and grasslands. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Michigan: A Quaternary and Recent Faunal Adventure. Belly pale green or yellow with brown edging and often dark spots along the edges. Burrows made by small mammals and even crayfish are sometimes used as hibernation sites, called hibernacula. Harding, J.H. Head black or olive often with two small yellow spots on the large scales at the back. Pictures by Andy Avram. The State of Wisconsin has listed this species as threatened and the Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Bureau of Endangered Resources The Butler’s Garter Snake is a non-venomous snake native to states found in America. Butler's Gartersnake can occur in "high" numbers and densities locally and can survive in highly modified habitats (vacant lots, junkyards, gravel pits, etc. Juvenile Characteristics: Lateral stripe detail in Ohio garter species. Young Butler's garter snakes are born at from 12.5 to 18.5 cm. This snake can be found near small bodies of water (including seasonally dry marshes and swales) in a small number of vacant urban lots (including industrial lands) and parks and in Tallgrass Prairie remnants. Rather small and stout snake with keeled (ridged) scales and a single anal plate. The head of the Butler’s Garter Snake is noticeably smaller than an Common Garter Snake, although this characteristic is more noticeable in life than photographs. ), although it was originally a species of tall-grass habitats. The snake requires both moderately open upland and wetland habitats. A disjunct population inhabits the Milwaukee area. Stripes on scale row 3 and adjacent halves of scale rows 2 and 4 toward the head. However, its distribution is situated almost entirely within areas of high and increasing human population and This species is also commonly found in rock piles or old stonewalls. It haunts grassy meadows and riparian zones from eastern Michigan and northwestern Indiana northeast through western Ohio and into the southwestern tip of Ontario. It is frequently found under cover, such as boards or rocks. Many species also range into areas near human activity, like farms, pastures, parks, gardens, and more. Head is same size as or barely wider than neck. According to most sources, there are 34 different subspecies of garter snake. Learn to recognize garter snakes. The species hibernatescommunally, often with other garter snake species. Lansing, Mich., Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford, State Printers. This expansive group of snakes occupies a wide variety of habitats. Butler's Garter Snakes are a harmless species of snakes that are rapidly getting low on population. The herpetology of Michigan, by Alexander B. Ruthven. This makes it … Males smaller and more slender with longer tails. Butler's Gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri), a Special Concern species in Wisconsin, prefers almost any open or semi-open canopy wetland habitat and adjacent open or semi-open canopy upland habitat, including prairies, old fields and weedy vacant lots. Habitat: Prefers wet meadows and prairies, borders of marshy ponds and lakes, and other moist grassy areas. Same coloration as adults but with proportionately larger heads. From roadkills on open streets, to careless builders who build communities on their habitat, there are many reasons this species may get extinct in the future. Species Confused With: species occupies open-canopy habitat, including both wetlands and adjacent uplands, but very little is known about the extent of use of upland habitats by the Butler’s gartersnake. These snakes are members of the family Colubridae, which is represented by a total of 28 species in Indiana. 2006. There are only a few confirmed pockets of Butler’s Garter Snakes in the region. Habitat: Butler’s Garter Snakes show a preference for open fields, meadows and prairies adjacent to water. From Lucas Co., Ohio. other species to the, Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region by Jim Harding. This small-bodied snake is the most common snake in North America—there are over thirty species of garter snakes, with many more subspecies. The snake is only known from the areas of Ohio which were glaciated. Reproduction: Butler’s Garter Snakes give birth to live young. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Press. Adult Characteristics: So, are all garter snakes suitable for keeping as pets? Conant, R., and Collins, J. T. 1998. Some types are located in the colder regions of Alaska, whereas others are endemic to warmer southern states, like Florida. Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern, Central North America. A. 1951. Butler’s Gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri) in Wisconsin: Population and Habitat Viability Assessment The Stakeholder Workshop Executive Summary Introduction The Butler’s gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri) is the smallest of the five species of gartersnake found in Wisconsin. The garter snake (Thamnophis) can be found in most parts of North America. Some sources show records in Portage County as originally documented in Conant’s 1938 Reptiles of Ohio but Conant explained in the 1951 second edition that this was due to a misidentification. Other garter snakes have somewhat longer and larger heads than do Butler's garter snakes. Habitat: Prefers wet meadows and prairies, borders of marshy ponds and lakes, and other moist grassy areas. They subsist on a diet of mainly earthworms, but they may also eat leeches, salamanders, and frogs. Bulletin E-2000,74 pp. Characteristic habitat of Butler’s Gartersnake includes old fields, disturbed sites, urban and industrial sites and Tallgrass Prairie. This snake was first described in 1889 by E.D. Birthing or parturition habitat consists of lowland areas or wet depressions surrounded by higher and drier land. Essential habitat components include a dense cover of grasses or herbs with a heavy thatch layer and an abundance of earthworms as prey. Three conspicuous yellow or orange stripes on black, brown, or olive brown background, sometimes with two rows of dark spots between the stripes. Habitat: Suitable Butler’s gartersnake habitat consists of open or semi-open canopy wetland and adjacent open or semi-open canopy upland habitat, including wet-mesic prairies, sedge meadows, shrub carr habitat, fresh (wet) meadows, low prairies, marshes, grasslands, savannas, old fields and vacant weedy lots (Vogt 1981, Ernst and Ernst 2003). The Division of Wildlife’s mission is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. The Butler’s Garter Snake is generally a small, slender snake. Habitat: Butler’s Garter Snakes show a preference for open fields, meadows and prairies adjacent to water.  Some of the densest populations of this snake occur in the extensive marshes along western Lake Erie.  The snake is only known from the areas of Ohio which were glaciated. This snake can be found near small bodies of water (including Further to this, Butler’s Gartersnake – like most endangered species – are heavily impacted by Like the eastern gartersnake, this species inhabits urban and agricultural areas. The Butler's gartersnake is very hard to tell apart from its cousin, the plains gartersnake in the seven southeastern counties (see map) of Wisconsin where their range overlaps. Additional Information: This species is fairly rare in Ohio except along the western Lake Erie marshes where it can be a decidedly common snake.  As with all the Thamnophis species, they appear similar but once an observer gains experience, they can all be readily identified even if they are rapidly crawling away. Often found under rocks, logs, or debris. Butler’s Gartersnake in Ontario, the fungus is now known to occur within the Ontario range of this species, and at least one individual has been observed with clinical signs that are consistent with SFD (CWHC 2017, S. Marks , pers. Will also inhabit vacant urban and suburban areas. Riparian areas are those that lie in close proximity to a water source like a lake, pond, swamp, or wetland. Labial scales (along the mouth) are yellow, sometimes with brown shading or speckles. ), although it was … The Butler’s Garter Snake is a non-venomous serpent species endemic to parts of North America. Butler Garter Snakes spend much of the active season below ground or under vegetation or shelter of cover objects including logs, rocks, debris on the ground, burrows, ant mounds, old house foundations, and other similar microhabitats. The snakes eat worms, frogs, leeches, and salamanders that are found in natural settings. Garter snake is a common name for generally harmless, small to medium-sized snakes belonging to the genus Thamnophis. 1912. Butler's garter snakes are a relati… Butler’s garter snakes occur in a wide variety of moist habitats, such as wet woodlands, meadows, bogs, and marshes, and along drainage ditches and streams. 2012. Butler's Garter Snake is locally common, but rare or absent in some parts of its range. If threatened, they will often flee into the water where they are excellent swimmers. and J.A. Ribbon snakes and other garter snakes have relatively larger, longer heads. Essential habitat components include a dense cover of grasses or herbs with a heavy thatch layer and an abundance of earthworms as prey. In addition, small pockets of the population have been isolated from each other due to habitat fragmentation. Butler’s Gartersnake is found in grasslands, old fields, disturbed sites, urban and industrial sites and tallgrass prairie where a dense cover of grasses or herbs and a heavy thatch layer are present. Top to bottom: Plains Garter Snake, Butler’s Garter Snake, Common Garter Snake, Eastern Ribbon Snake. Please contribute your observation of this and Some of the densest populations of this snake occur in the extensive marshes along western Lake Erie. Michigan Snakes. Holman. ENDANGERED. Size: 15 – 29” (adult total length) Crystal Thompson and Helen Thompson; Memoranda towards a bibliography of the archaeology of Michigan, by Harlan I. Smith; prepared under the direction of Alexander G. Ruthven. 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