Home >> Science & Nature >> Animals & Science

How to Identify the Garter Snakes of Missouri

Garter snakes are some of the most common snakes in North America, with one or more of the 31 species inhabiting every state except Alaska and Hawaii. Missouri is home to three of these species: the eastern garter snake, the plains garter snake and the western ribbon snake. All of these snakes have dusky bodies with three stripes, and to the untrained eye may be difficult to tell apart. However, by examining the snake's stripes, head and overall body structure, you can identify which species is sharing your backyard.

Instructions

- 1
  Look at the snake's body. If it is exceptionally slender with a tail that occupies a third or more of its body length, it's a western ribbon snake. If it is comparatively stockier with a shorter tail, it is either the eastern or the plains garter snake.
- 2
  Look at the snake's head. The western ribbon snake has a white spot in front of its eye. Neither the eastern nor the plains garter snake does.
- 3
  Examine the snake's stripes. A snake has wide scales on its belly called dorsal scales. Above these dorsal scales, the scales are small, round and occur in rows. Scientists number these rows, beginning with row one immediately above the dorsal scales. The stripes on the sides of the western ribbon snake and the plains garter snake are on the third and fourth rows. The sides of the eastern garter snake are striped on the second and third rows.

Animals & Science