Species

DeKay's brownsnake

Storeria dekayi

A small, gentle snake of gardens, lawns and city lots that eats slugs and worms.

Photo Unknown photographer (opens in a new tab) / iNaturalist, CC0 1.0 (opens in a new tab)

Urban wildlife

At a glance

Size: Usually 23 to 33 cm long
Habitat: Gardens, lawns, parks, vacant lots and woods
Diet: Slugs, earthworms and snails
In Georgia: Common statewide, including cities
Venomous: No
Rabies vector: No

Identification

Key marks: Small, brown to grey, with two rows of dark spots down the back; young have a pale collar
Told apart from: Red-bellied snake, which has a red or orange belly
Told apart from: Earthsnakes, which are plainer and lack the spots
Where to look: Under boards, stones and mulch in gardens

Behaviour

Brownsnakes are among the snakes most often found in towns. They hunt slugs by following their slime trails and can pull snails from their shells. When threatened they may flatten out and release musk.

Why they matter

A brownsnake in the garden is a gardener's ally: slugs and snails are its main food. It is also prey for birds, cats and larger snakes.

Reproduction and lifecycle

Young — Born live, usually 3 to 20, in summer
Size at birth — About 8 to 11 cm
Maturity — In about two years
Breeding — Every year
Lifespan — A few years
Diet shift — Young eat tiny slugs and worms

Living around people

Brownsnakes are harmless and eat garden slugs.
Mulch, stones and logs give them shelter.

Misconceptions

Any snake in the garden is dangerous. The brownsnake is one of the most common garden snakes, and harmless.

Related species

Seasonal activity

When this species is breeding, and when there are nests on the ground. Mowing during the shaded months is how most nests are found.

Breeding and active nests by month for this species
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Breeding	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Active nests	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Notes	Sheltering	Out on warm days	Active	Mating	Active	Active	Young born	Young born	Active	Active	Sheltering	Sheltering

Where it lives

Recorded in 42 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.

Canada

Mexico

If you found one

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