Queensnake

Regina septemvittata

The Queensnake is a slender, beautiful snake that loves to swim! It has shiny scales and is often found near water. These snakes are great at catching fish and are very friendly.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Queensnake is a slender snake, typically olive, gray, or brown, with two distinct light yellow or cream stripes running down its back. Its belly is pale yellow, marked with two prominent dark stripes extending from neck to tail, a key identifier setting it apart.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassSquamataOrderSerpentesFamilyColubridaeGenusRegina

Queensnake

Interesting facts

Wow! Queensnakes *only* eat crayfish, especially soft ones after they shed their shells!

Wow! Queensnakes are non-venomous and spend most of their lives searching for food in water!

Wow! Unlike many snakes, Queensnakes don't lay eggs; they give birth to live babies!

Wow! You can tell a Queensnake by the two dark stripes under its pale yellow belly!

Special abilities

Queensnake can expertly hunt crayfish underwater because of its streamlined body and ability to hold its breath, helping it find soft-shelled prey.

Queensnake has live birth, where it gives birth to fully formed baby snakes, not eggs, helping its young survive immediately after birth.

Queensnake has specialized jaws and teeth to grasp and consume slippery, soft-shelled crayfish, which helps it maintain its unique diet.

Measurements & details

Length: 38-61 cm
Weight: 0.08-0.2 kg
Lifespan: 8-10 years
Top Speed: 1.5 km/h
Swim Speed: 3 km/h
Maximum Depth: 2 m

Diet & Feeding

Queensnakes mainly eat freshly molted crayfish, using their keen sense of smell to locate their slippery meals.

Primary Foods

Soft-shelled crayfish
Newly molted crayfish
Small fish (rarely)
Amphibian larvae (rarely)

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

hunts

Rusty Crayfish

Faxonius rusticus

A key food source, especially when soft-shelled.

eaten by

Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Often preys on snakes found near water sources.

eaten by

Green Heron

Butorides virescens

A wading bird that hunts small aquatic animals including snakes.

eats

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides

May consume juvenile Queensnakes found in the water.

Traits

Striped

Marked with parallel bands or lines of color.

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Piscivorous

Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.