Butler's Gartersnake
Thamnophis butleri
Size
15–22 in
Status
Endangered
Venomous
No
Region
N & NE Indiana
A small, secretive garter snake of Indiana's remnant prairies and wet meadows. It is state endangered and rarely seen.
Identification
A slender garter snake with three yellow to orange stripes on a brown or black body. It closely resembles the Eastern Garter Snake but is smaller, with the side stripes sitting slightly higher on the body and a notably small head. Adults rarely exceed 22 inches.
Habitat & Diet
Favors moist grasslands, wet prairies, and meadow edges. Its diet is heavily specialized on earthworms, with some small amphibians and leeches taken as well. It is most active in spring and early summer.
Conservation in Indiana
Listed as State Endangered in Indiana due to the loss of native prairie and wetland habitat. Remaining populations are small and localized, making habitat protection essential to its survival.
Similar Species & Taxonomy
A small gartersnake best told by its unusually small head and the side stripe centered on scale row three and touching rows two and four; this stripe position separates it from the Common and Plains gartersnakes. A gartersnake (family Colubridae; watersnakes and their kin are often split into the family Natricidae). A small, distinct species long recognized in the genus Thamnophis and closely allied to the Common Gartersnake.
United States Range Map Distribution
Distribution in Indiana
