Queensnake
Regina septemvittata
Size
20–30 in
Status
Uncommon
Venomous
No
Region
S & C Indiana
A slender, harmless stream snake with a highly specialized diet: it eats almost nothing but freshly molted crayfish. A good indicator of clean water.
Identification
A slim brown to olive snake with a yellow stripe low on each side and, on the belly, four brown length-wise stripes. Adults are about 2–2.5 feet. It is often seen basking on branches over moving water.
Habitat & Diet
Restricted to clean, rocky streams and rivers with abundant crayfish, on which it feeds almost exclusively — favoring soft-shelled individuals just after molting. It rarely strays far from flowing water.
Conservation in Indiana
Uncommon and sensitive to water pollution and stream degradation, which reduce its crayfish prey. Its presence signals healthy stream habitat.
Similar Species & Taxonomy
A slender brown watersnake with cream belly stripes that basks over streams; it is told from gartersnakes by its low lateral stripes and keeled scales, and it feeds almost entirely on soft, freshly molted crayfish. A crayfish snake (family Colubridae; watersnakes and their kin are often split into the family Natricidae), the only Indiana member of the genus Regina, earlier placed in the genus Natrix.
United States Range Map Distribution
Distribution in Indiana
