Brown Snake
Storeria dekayi
Other Images of Brown Snakes
- Northern Brown Snake
- adult approx. 12 inches
- adult, belly - plain, few spots, approx. 10 inches
- adult, approx. 13 inches
- adult, belly - linear shading, numerous spots, approx. 13 inches
- juvenile, approx. 6 inches
- newborn, approx. 3.3 inches
- adult, intergrade Northern/Midland
- adult, intergrade Northern/Midland
Storeria dekayi dekayi
- Midland Brown Snake
- adult approx. 12 inches
- adult approx. 12 inches
Storeria dekayi wrightorum
Brown Snakes are small brown or gray snakes often found around yards and vacant lots. Average adult size is in the range of 9 to 13 inches. They eat slugs, earthworms, and soft-bodied insects. They are live bearing (that is, the female retains the eggs within her body until time to hatch.)
These snakes were formerly called "DeKay's Snakes." There are two subspecies found is South Carolina:
These snakes have two parallel rows of dark spots down their backs. In the Northern Brown Snake a few of the spots may be joined with their corresponding spots by dark lines across the middle back. In the Midland Brown Snake many more spots are joined by dark lines. A midland specimen found in McCormick County (1999) demonstrates a very colorful and striking pattern.
These snakes seem to have been much more numerous in the 1950's and 60's than they are today. In my pre-teenage years, I could easily find a specimen or two most any summer day by turning over a few boards on most any vacant lot. I had a friend who thoroughly searched his backyard one day and found 20 or 30 of these snakes. Granted, he had recently moved to a rental property with a lot of trash in the yard, but even so this was a phenomenal number to find. Others have also noted this apparent decline in populations and have suggested that use of pesticides may be the cause.
These snakes are generally inoffensive, although they may excrete on their captors. They are fairly easy to keep in captivity since their food is readily available.