Black Rat Snake

Black rat snake coiled on a tree stump

By Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager.

This beautiful black rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) was resting on a stump in the back yard. A few hours before there were two of them there, but by the time I got there to take a photo only one remained.

This is the same species that we occasionally find in the barn (see previous post) and after gently urging them out of the barn the other day I can confirm what I’ve read in the literature: they emit a foul smell when disturbed. I have seen this species climb up in shrubs and also vibrate its tail in mimicry of a rattlesnake.

I’m happy to have them around as they help keep the mouse population down, though they also eat many other small animals and also birds’ eggs.