What kind of snake is this?

July 17, 2016 8:16 PM

What kind of snake is this? Found this critter on my porch in Washington, DC.
posted by schmod to Science & Nature (6 answers total)

Definitely some variety of garter snake. Nothing to worry about!
posted by paulcole at 8:29 PM on July 17, 2016

Best answer: I think it looks like a northern brown snake.
posted by Redstart at 8:53 PM on July 17, 2016 [2 favorites]

Looks like a ribbon snake. A lot like a garter. Welcome it. Keeps vermin down.
posted by Miko at 9:00 PM on July 17, 2016

Yeah pretty sure it's a northern brown snake; I see these guys annually in my DC yard and the VA herpetological society lists them as local. Although garter snake is a pretty common term for a whole bunch of non-venomous snakes around this size.
posted by aspersioncast at 9:01 PM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: It's a northern brown snake. Although they're variable, garter and ribbon snakes (which are both distinct species, despite the vernacular issue aspersioncast mentions) generally have a darker background color and contrasting lighter stripes along their sides. The parallel rows of dots going down the back are a good identification mark for northern brown snake, as are the dark scales on the top of the head.
posted by mollweide at 4:31 AM on July 18, 2016 [4 favorites]

Response by poster: Yep. Sure looks like a northern brown snake.

I had a hunch it wasn't a garter snake, because I've always recognized those as having dark skin with light stripes.

Thanks!
posted by schmod at 12:41 PM on July 18, 2016