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  • Lake County Educational Article of the Month - Common Snakes of Illinois

Common Snakes of Illinois

Illinois state has a humid climate with lots of plateaus, rivers and sea islands that provide favorable conditions to most snake species. Experts say that there are around 38 different species of snakes in Illinois State out of which only five are venomous and rest 33 are usually harmless. However, if you try to capture them, corner them or threaten them, the chances of attack automatically increase.



Common Snakes of Illinois:
1. Lake County Black Racer:
Black racer snake is often sighted in Illinois, and it can be recognized from its black, slender and long appearance. This snake can achieve a maximum length of 70 inches and will often prefer to visit your yard in search of some food.

2. Rat Snakes:
There is a wide range of Rat Snakes that can be spotted in different locations of Illinois. Some of the most common ones are a Yellow rat and Black rat snakes; but most homeowners report corn snake, cousin of rat snake attacking their pets and kids.

3. Eastern Garter:
Lake County garter snakes appear same as garter strap whereas the eastern garter snake can be identified with its solid pale stripes. These snakes are commonly observed with olive, grey and brown colored body. The maximum length of an Eastern Garter snake can be 25 inches, and they live on frogs, toads, slugs, and worms.

4. Scarlet Snakes:
Same as the popular Lake County Scarlet King Snake, the scarlet snake is also spotted with red, yellow and black markings. This snake can grow up to 25 inches length, and they are rarely spotted by humans due to their nocturnal nature. Experts reveal that they prefer to hide in moist wood, under fallen trees and moist woods.

5. Brown Snakes:
Here is the sluggish brown snake with light colored belly having patches along the body length. These Lake County snakes prefer to visit residential areas and gardens while searching for snails, earthworms, and slugs. If your garden stays loaded with debris, garbage, and litter, it can attract brown snakes to enjoy the cool stay.

Venomous Snakes of Illinois:
1. Copperhead Snake:
One of the most dangerous and frequently spotted venomous snake of Illinois is copperhead snake. It can be found near forests, streams, swamp edges, and rocky outcrops where it can easily find frogs, insects and small rodents to eat. Copperhead snake in this region can grow up to 2-3 feet long, and it can be recognized from its copper or red colored body. A single bite of copperhead snake can cause sudden death of a person with instant limb damage.

2. Cottonmouth Snake:
This Lake County snake is also named as the water moccasin, and it prefers to relax near lakes, swamps, wetlands, and streams. This snake can grow up to 4 feet length, but it is often confused with banded water snake that is non-venomous in nature. If you try to mess with this snake, it will immediately open its white cotton colored mouth to scare you. It is better to leave it alone. Otherwise, it can bite you with potent venom.

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