The eastern garter snake is a common and widespread reptile that lives in various habitats across eastern North America. It has a striped pattern of yellow or white on a dark background, and can grow up to four feet long. It is not venomous, but it can bite and release a foul-smelling musk when threatened. It feeds on a variety of prey, such as frogs, toads, slugs and worms. It is ovoviviparous, meaning it gives birth to live young. It hibernates in groups during the winter in underground dens.

Do you see what I see? Check out this beautiful common garter snake spotted at our Davis Nature Preserve. At this size, it is likely a female, since female garter snakes grow larger than males. A bigger body allows her to carry and give birth to a larger litter of live young. Unlike many reptiles that lay eggs, garter snakes give birth to fully formed baby snakes in late summer, sometimes as many as 10 to 40 at once. In the fall, garter snakes spend the last few warm days soaking up the sun, hun