Species
Rough earthsnake
Virginia striatula
A tiny, pointy-nosed snake that burrows through suburban gardens and woods.
Photo William L. Farr (opens in a new tab) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)
At a glance
- Size
- Usually 18 to 25 cm long
- Habitat
- Woods, gardens, vacant lots and fields
- Diet
- Earthworms, slugs and soft insects
- In Georgia
- Statewide except the mountains
- Venomous
- No
- Rabies vector
- No
Identification
- Key marks
- Small, plain brown to grey; pointed snout; keeled scales
- Told apart from
- Smooth earthsnake, which has a rounder snout and smooth scales
- Where to look
- Under stones, logs and debris
Behaviour
It burrows with its pointed snout and is most often found under cover in gardens and yards.
Why they matter
It eats worms and slugs and is one of the most common small snakes in towns.
Reproduction and lifecycle
Young — Born live, usually 3 to 8
Size at birth — About 8 to 10 cm
Maturity — In two years
Breeding — Every year
Lifespan — Several years
Habits — Mostly underground
Living around people
- It is harmless.
Misconceptions
- It is a worm. It has scales and eyes, and is a snake.
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.
| 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 | Underground | Active on warm days | Active | Mating | Active | Active | Young born | Young born | Active | Active | Underground | Underground |
Where it lives
Recorded in 14 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.
If you found one
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