The Smooth Green Snake Seeking Big Game

This smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis), found along Buffalo Creek, Washington County, is seen today in pursuit of a small toad. Found throughout Pennsylvania, this primarily terrestrial species can be discovered in fields, pastures, farmland, shrubby areas and forest clearings. It is most commonly encountered under objects such as rocks or logs, in part due to their superb camoflaging color.

The smooth green snake is one of the most docile of snakes and rarely bites. Its relative, the rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus), is considered a threatened species in Pennsylvania; but unlike the smooth green snake, it is a largely aquatic species recorded from only southeastern and southwestern corners of Pa. There is some indication that smooth green snake populations are declining, perhaps because of the effects of pesticides, which in part can kill their 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. Photo taken by WPC's Water Resources Specialist Christy Meredith while sampling in Buffalo Creek.

Today is the last day to cast your vote from our five Naturally Creepy Places. We ask you to revisit our five candidates and vote for your favorite creepy locale. The winning NCP will be announced tomorrow, Thursday, October 28th.

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