A Smooth Green Snake in a Hot, Summer Pursuit

This smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis), photographed by Water Resources Specialist Christy Meredith while sampling in Buffalo Creek, Washington County, is seen today in pursuit of a small toad. Found throughout the majority of Pennsylvania, this primarily terrestrial species is found in old fields, pastures, farmland, shrubby area, and forest clearings. It is most commonly encountered under objects such as rocks or logs.

The smooth green snake is one of the most docile of snakes and rarely bites. The smooth green snake's relative, the rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus), is considered a threatened species in Pennsylvania, but unlike the smooth green snake, is a largely aquatic species found only in southeastern Pa. There is some indication that smooth green snake populations are declining because of the effects of pesticide use on their major prey, including spiders, crickets and grasshoppers (Hulse et al. 2001).

A. Hulse, C. J. McCoy, and Ellen J. Censky. Amphibians and Reptiles of Pennsylvania and the Northeast . 2001. Cornell University Press: Ithaca, NY.

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