Common name: gray ratsnake
Scientific name: Pantherophis spiloides
How to identify them
The background colors of these snakes are dark brown to black. Sometimes there are white, yellow, or orange flecks between the scales. Red and yellow flecks mark the dark gray or brown underside. The heads of adults are solid black or brown on top. They have white chins and throats. Young gray ratsnakes have patterns and blotches that can be confused with young foxsnakes.
Where they live
You'll only find these snakes in a few counties in southwest Wisconsin. They live in bluff prairies, oak woodlands, and pastures. Every now and then one is seen climbing or resting in the rafters of a barn or shed.
What they eat
They hunt rodents and birds.
Did you know?
When looking for snakes, you might not think to look up. But, if you want to see the gray ratsnake, you just might have to. This long and muscular snake is Wisconsin's only arboreal (that means tree-dwelling) snake.