Description:  Solid dark coloring, ranging from black to greyish-blue. Juveniles may have red or brown banding which disappears with age. Chin and throat are lighter ranging from white to creamy brown. Reaches lengths of up to six feet.

Occurrence:  Locally Common

Habitat:  Sparsely wooded areas, fields, meadows, wetlands, rocky slopes and ledges. Racers do well in areas that are periodically mowed.

Diet:  small mammals, insects, frogs, toads, small birds, bird eggs and snakes

Reproduction  Breeds Late April to early May. Lays eggs June to early July in rotting wood, stumps, decaying plants or loose soil under stones and boards. Clutch size 7 to 31 eggs, incubating 51 days on average. Hatch late August to early September

Comments:  Diurnal and territorial

Description:  The back is a solid color varying from blue-gray, light brown, or green-gray. The distinguishing feature is a gold ring around the neck. Occasionally the ring is partial or missing. The belly is yellowish-orange. Length ranges from slightly less than a foot up to a foot and a half.

Occurrence:  

Habitat:  Open woods.

Diet:  Small salamanders, frogs, juvenile snakes , earthworms and other small invertebrates.

Reproduction  Breeds once a year producing three to ten offspring.

Description:  Smooth, shiny scales. Back is narrow bands of white and black, alternated with large brownish blotches. Belly is a black and white checkered pattern. Length ranges from two feet to three feet.

Occurrence:  

Habitat:  Woods, fields, marshes, farms, and suburbs

Diet:  Rodents and small snakes

Reproduction  6 to 20 eggs laid in June and hatch in late summer

Description:  Dark brown tan or gray. Back and sides have light and dark alternating square blotches that may connect to form bands. Belly is usually white, yellowish, or orangish with darker blotches. Juveniles have red-brown blotches on a tan, brown, or gray background. Length ranges from two to four-and-a-half feet.

Occurrence:  

Habitat:  Freshwater rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, swamps and other wetlands

Diet:  frogs, salamanders, tadpoles, fish , large insects, leeches, other snakes, turtles, birds, and small mammals.

Reproduction  Breeds April to June with 5 to 100 offspring.

Description:  The only snake in eastern North America that is entirely bright green on their back

Occurrence:  

Habitat:  Meadows, grassy marshes, wet grassy fields, stream and wetland edges, moist woods.

Diet:  Crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, snails, slugs, and sometimes amphibians.

Reproduction  3 to 13 offspring hatch in August or September

Description:  
Typically gray brown with a light streak on its back bordered on either side by black dots. Belly is pinkish white. Usually less than 15 inches long. Males and females appear similar, but males are longer. Young snakes are are black or dark gray with a light gray-white colored ring around the neck and are 3.5 inches long on average. Young snakes may be confused with ring necked snakes, but are distinguished up close by a small ridge in the center of their scales.

Occurrence:  

Habitat:  Spends most of its life underground and/or hiding among loose stones.

Diet:  earthworms, snails, slugs, small salamanders, grubs, and beetles.

Reproduction  Gives live (viviparous) birth to 12 to 20 offspring in late July / early August.

Description:  Back varies between olive-brown, tan-brown, chestnut-brown, grey-brown, grey or even black. Three yellow spots behind the head . Underside is red. May grow to 12 inches in length.

Occurrence:  

Habitat:  Moist areas. Gardens, moist woodlands, borders between forest and wetland. Often found under logs and rocks.

Diet:  Slugs and earthworms.

Reproduction  Usually 7 or 8 live offspring between late July and early September.

Description:  

Occurrence:  

Habitat:  

Diet:  

Reproduction  

Comments:  

Description:  Variable in colors. Often with three light stripes along the length of the body on a dark background. The stripes are arranged with one down the center of the back and the other two stripes to each side. Occasionaly the stripes are missing or difficult to see. The stripes may have dark spots, creating a checkerboard pattern. The head is darkly colored and the color of the chin, throat and belly are similar to the stripes. Length ranges from one-and-a-half to four-and-a-half feet.

Occurrence:  Abundant

Habitat:  Varies widely. Meadows, marshes, woodlands, and hillsides. Prefer moist, grassy areas and are often found near water, ponds, lakes, ditches, and streams but range widely and can be found far from water.

Diet:  Earthworms, amphibians, leeches, slugs, snails, insects, crayfish, small fish and other snakes

Reproduction  12 to 40 live offspring from July through October.