GRAHAM'S CRAYFISH SNAKE

Photo © by Suzanne L. Collins
Used by permission

• Size:   Length in Kansas up to 40 5/8 inches.

• Description:   Harmless. Scales keeled. Body is dark brown or slate gray, with cream-colored or yellow stripes along the sides of the body just above the belly. Belly is cream or yellow with two dark stripes. In older females the belly may be dark. Young look like miniature adults.
• Habits:    Occurs along the margins of mud-bottom marshes, oxbow lakes, rivers and streams; particularly likes roadside ditches abundant with crayfish. Active from late April to October, this snake breeds in the spring and an average litter of 16 young are born July–September. Feeds almost exclusively on crayfish.

  Other Kansas snakes with lengthwise stripes

  Brown Snake	Common Garter Snake
  Lined Snake	Plains Garter Snake
  Western Ribbon Snake	Western Worm Snake

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  and what to do if you have been bitten by one.