IT'S A WATER MOCCASIN!!! Oh . . . wait . . . Maybe not?

You remember that 6-foot long black snake you saw in the woods or over by the pond? Guess what? It’s not a water moccasin. It is probably a Black Rat Snake.  Would you like to know how I know this? Because there is no part of Ohio that is home to water moccasins, and there are no other black snakes in Ohio that have the ability to reach over 5 feet in length. But most people do not know this, and assume all large black snakes near water are water moccasins.

Black Rat Snakes are really quite remarkable; when they feel threatened, they are able to flatten their heads temporarily so that their head becomes arrow-shaped (this is called ‘head-morphing,’ and there are several other non-venomous snakes that use it as a defense). An arrow-shaped head is one of the tell-tale signs of venomous snakes, so it’s no wonder that most people panic when they accidentally stumble upon one of these beautiful creatures in the wild. But the teeth in this snake’s mouth are only a few millimeters long and can’t do much damage to us humans. In fact, they generally don’t want to harm us at all!

(This picture is from a ‘field trip’ that Jan Ferrel (naturalist here at GNC) went on to visit a class, the link is http://anthocs0311.edublogs.org/2014/01/page/2/ and there are tons of other awesome pictures!)

There is a lot you can learn from the name of any animal. White-tailed deer have white tails, skunk cabbage is a cabbage-like plant that smells bad, and Black Rat Snakes are black snakes that eat rats. It lends information in a creative way, doesn’t it? Rat Snakes are not solid black, though; they have light bellies that range from off-white to yellow-grey, and sometimes you can see patterns along their backs and sides, as well. These patches can be a variety of browns and greys, but they do not always travel the entire length of the snake and are most visible near the snake’s head. When they are young, Black Rat Snakes are a lighter grey or brown and their markings are very prominent so that they are able to blend in with rocks and soil.

(The first picture was found at http://www.marshall.edu/herp/snakes/black_ratsnake.htm  and the second was found at http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/black_rat_snake.htm )

Rat Snakes breed in the spring, usually between the months of April and June, and can lay 5-30 eggs (10-14 on average). When they hatch, these young are almost immediately independent and able to hunt for insects. A little over a foot long, these juvenile snakes don’t have to grow much before they are able to start feasting on the rodents for which they are named, but they don’t stop growing there. Black Rat Snakes can grow to be over eight feet long! On average they will grow to be about five feet long and can be found almost anywhere outdoors.

(This picture is curtesy of http://naturalsciences.org/prairie-ridge-ecostation/what-time-is-it-in-nature/archive/black-rat-snake )

Black Rat Snakes are found in all of Ohio and most of eastern America. They are very good climbers and often hibernate in rocky cavities with other snakes during the winter. You can often find them up in tree hollows or along branches, they can even be found sunning on the roof! This allows them to have a wide variety of prey to choose from, although they most often choose to eat rats, mice, small birds, and eggs. This makes them wonderful for pest control, and that helps keep those pesky critters out of your gardens and kitchens.

(This picture can be found at http://johnburk.zenfolio.com/p581253011/h61268BD5#h61268bd5 )

So next time you’re out looking at the wildlife around you, take a closer look at that tree branch, and thank the snake you have one less mouse to deal with in your house.

Thank you for your support everyone! I have to admit, it’s pretty epic. I you have any pictures of Black Rat Snakes that you would like to share, just send them to me via email at gncintern@gmail.com! 

Information Citations: http://animals.pawnation.com/interesting-eastern-rat-snakes-4318.html

http://www.oplin.org/snake/fact%20pages/rat_snake_black/rat_snake_black.html

I would also like to thank Amanda Kriner (Director of Volunteers at GNC) for help verifying facts and Ms. Costas (my English teacher) for checking my grammar. They are both stellar people and I enjoy working with them both.

Happy (early) Valentine’s Day!
-Connie