Rough Green Snake

Opheodrys aestivus

Rough Green Snakes are slender and bright green! They are excellent at climbing and love to hide in trees.

Habitat: Woodlands and gardens

Appearance

The Rough Green Snake is a slender, vibrant emerald green snake with a bright yellow or cream-colored belly. Its distinguishing feature is its keeled scales, giving it a slightly rough, textured appearance that helps it blend into foliage.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassSquamataOrderSerpentesFamilyColubridaeGenusOpheodrys

Rough Green Snake

Interesting facts

Despite their 'rough' name, they are gentle and rarely bite!

Rough Green Snakes are so slender, they are sometimes called 'vine snakes'!

They hunt with head raised, scanning for prey like a tiny periscope!

When stressed, their green skin can temporarily dull to brown or black!

Special abilities

Rough Green Snake has a lightweight body and prehensile tail that helps them deftly navigate branches and twigs.

Rough Green Snake can accurately snatch flying and crawling insects because of its quick strikes and specialized vision.

Measurements & details

Length: 55-80 cm
Weight: 0.01-0.025 kg
Lifespan: 5-8 years
Top Speed: 3 km/h
Clutch Size: 2-14
Incubation: 35-70 days

Diet & Feeding

They mainly feast on small insects and arthropods, helping control garden pests!

Primary Foods

crickets
grasshoppers
spiders
caterpillars

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eats

Garden Spider

Argiope aurantia

A primary food source in its arboreal habitat.

eaten by

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Vigilant raptors often prey on camouflaged snakes.

eaten by

North American Racer

Coluber constrictor

Larger, faster snakes will occasionally consume them.

eats

Fall Field Cricket

Gryllus pennsylvanicus

A common and abundant insect prey item.

Traits

Wildlife

Step into the incredible world of wild animals and plants living freely in nature. From tiny insects to towering trees, it's all part of the wild wonders around us!

Arboreal

Climb high with animals who love living in trees! These agile creatures find their food, shelter, and even raise their families among the branches.

Insectivorous

Discover clever creatures that specialize in munching on insects, playing a super important role in keeping bug populations in check. They are nature's tiny bug vacuums!

Forest

These lush habitats are filled with countless trees, offering homes to a huge variety of plants and animals! Immerse yourself in the green canopy.

Longevous

Marvel at organisms that have an incredible capacity to live for a very, very long time, sometimes spanning centuries or even millennia. They are the elders of the natural world!