Common garter snakes develop into 46 to 137 cm altogether
length. Males are generally smaller than females and also have longer
tails. Young common garter snakes are born at 12.5 to 23 cm long and so
are similar in features for the adults. There are several dozens of
recognized regional populations of common garter snakes which may have
distinct color patterns. In a few areas you'll find populations which
have a high percentage of entirely black garter snakes. Common garter
snakes offer a similar experience to look at on their close relatives,
ribbon snakes (Thamnophis sauritus) and Butler's garter snakes
(Thamnophis butleri).
Common Garter Snake
Common Garter Snake
Common Garter Snake
Common Garter Snake
Common garter snakes are highly variable in color pattern. They normally have three light stripes that run along the duration of their body using a black, brown, gray, or olive background. The stripes may be white, yellow, blue, greenish, or brown. One stripe runs down the center of the snake's back, additional two stripes run alongside this central stripe. Sometimes the stripes are absent or poorly defined. Some garter snakes have alternating rows of dark spots that line the stripes, making the stripes look a lot more like checkerboard patterns of light, rather than lines. Common garter snakes employ a head that may be wider than the neck and is uniformly dark. Their tongues are red, tipped in black, and their scales are keeled (with a raised ridge along the entire scale). The chin, throat and belly resemble the stripes in coloration, between white to yellow, greenish, blue, or brown. Source or Read more in biokids.umich.edu