Plainbelly (copperbelly) water snakes have keeled scales and orange red belly and lip scales. Western rat snakes have weakly keeled scales, a divided anal plate, and usually have traces of a pattern. The two subspecies are similar to one another and individuals resembling either subspecies may be found anywhere throughout their Iowa range.Ī North American racer, Coluber constrictor, from Louisa County, Iowa. The blue racer was not recognized recently for a brief period of time and is still not recognized by some taxonomists. The eastern yellow-bellied racer, Coluber constrictor flaviventris and the blue racer, Coluber constrictor foxii are the two subspecies found in Iowa. A North American racer, Coluber constrictor, from Lee County, Iowa. The belly is white with small brown or reddish spots and the tail is uniformly brown and unmarked. The young are much different from adults and have a white or gray ground color with black, brown, or reddish blotches. Racers have smooth scales and divided anal plates. Some specimens from Lee County are velvety black with light bellies. The throat and neck are bright yellow and the chin and upper labials may be yellow or white. The belly is dirty white, porcelain, or yellow with no markings. Adults are uniform gray, blue, bluish black, greenish, or light brown, with no trace of head or dorsal markings. Max 70 inches (177.8 cm Conant and Collins 1998). The North American racer is a large Iowa species measuring between 23-50 inches (58-127 cm) in length. It is illegal to kill or collect this species by law in Iowa. PROTECTED and Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Have you seen the blue racer snake before? Let us know, we would love to see your pictures! Keep up with the rest of our Ohio Wildlife Series in future articles.North American Racer ( Coluber constrictor)īy Jeff LeClere A North American racer, Coluber constrictor, from Louisa County, Iowa. OPLIN notes that blue racers will hibernate through the winter in large groups and with other species of snakes. The snake will then vibrate the tip of their tail, common of many other species of snakes along with a buzzing sound that could be mistaken for the rattlesnake. ODNR writes that the blue racer is rather jumpy and will put up a fight when an attempt is made to pick them up with their painful bite. Among some of the favorites of their diet are various insects, frogs, small reptiles, mice, rats, shrews, and spiders. They can move across the ground at speeds of around 8-10 miles per hour. The record length for a blue racer snake is 72 inches according to OPLIN. Upon hatching, these snakes will be around 8 to 13 inches. According to OPLIN, the blue racer prefers habitats that offer tall grass prairies, open woodland, along with swamps, all of which Ohio has to offer.Īccording to ODNR, the female blue racer lays her eggs in secluded areas such as in leaf litter or the inside of a log during the months of April through June in bunches of 3 to 32 eggs that hatch in August or September of the same year. Specifically, in Ohio, this snake makes its home in the western, northern, and central parts of the state. Throughout North America, blue racer snakes are found in southwestern areas of Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, Southeast Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) writes that the scales of the blue racer are smooth without any keels, which are scales that have a raised edge occurring down the center of the body. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), interbreeding between the blue racer and its relative the black racer showcasing combined characteristics of both species. It is not all that uncommon for this snake to have hints of white on their chin and on their throat. The blue racer snake ranges in size between 36 to 60 inches long and appears in a metallic gray color that gets hints of green on their body. Follow along as we learn more about what this snake looks like, what they eat, and common areas in which they are found. This week’s article features a member of the Non-venomous category, the Blue Racer. Yes, of course that means we must talk about snakes! Ohio is home to many species of snakes from water snakes, garter snakes, and earth snakes. Many of the Ohio wildlife that have been featured in our series have either had fur or feathers, but there are many other animals of a more slithery nature.
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