![]() Have you seen the blue racer snake before? Let us know, we would love to see your pictures! Keep up with the rest of our Ohio Wildlife Series in future articles. OPLIN notes that blue racers will hibernate through the winter in large groups and with other species of snakes. ![]() The snake will then vibrate the tip of their tail, common of many other species of snakes along with a buzzing sound that could be mistaken for the rattlesnake. The chin and throat area is white Southern black racers look like northern black racers. ODNR writes that the blue racer is rather jumpy and will put up a fight when an attempt is made to pick them up with their painful bite. The blue racers sides and back are pale blue or blue-green. Among some of the favorites of their diet are various insects, frogs, small reptiles, mice, rats, shrews, and spiders. They can move across the ground at speeds of around 8-10 miles per hour. The record length for a blue racer snake is 72 inches according to OPLIN. Upon hatching, these snakes will be around 8 to 13 inches. According to OPLIN, the blue racer prefers habitats that offer tall grass prairies, open woodland, along with swamps, all of which Ohio has to offer.Īccording to ODNR, the female blue racer lays her eggs in secluded areas such as in leaf litter or the inside of a log during the months of April through June in bunches of 3 to 32 eggs that hatch in August or September of the same year. Specifically, in Ohio, this snake makes its home in the western, northern, and central parts of the state. The Blue Racer is among the most graceful and swiftest of Ontario’s snakes, though it only reaches a top speed of 12 to16 kilometres per hour. Despite its scientific name, the Blue Racer does not constrict its prey. Throughout North America, blue racer snakes are found in southwestern areas of Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, Southeast Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The Blue Racer is an active forager, eating insects, rodents, frogs, birds and other snakes. The Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) writes that the scales of the blue racer are smooth without any keels, which are scales that have a raised edge occurring down the center of the body. Classic details and throwback hoops flare honor the original Dunk while a splash of vibrant blue helps these kicks make a bold statement all their own. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), interbreeding between the blue racer and its relative the black racer showcasing combined characteristics of both species. ![]() It is not all that uncommon for this snake to have hints of white on their chin and on their throat. The blue racer snake ranges in size between 36 to 60 inches long and appears in a metallic gray color that gets hints of green on their body. Follow along as we learn more about what this snake looks like, what they eat, and common areas in which they are found. This week’s article features a member of the Non-venomous category, the Blue Racer. Yes, of course that means we must talk about snakes! Ohio is home to many species of snakes from water snakes, garter snakes, and earth snakes. If you see one, you can report it to of the Ohio wildlife that have been featured in our series have either had fur or feathers, but there are many other animals of a more slithery nature. They do not like it when humans are around and are usually among the first snake species to disappear from developing areas.Īdults will eat anything from rodents, frogs, other snakes, and even some small birds when they are active in warmer weather from late April to October. The head is usually darker than the rest of the body and the bellies of these snakes are a milky white color. It's distinguished by its gray or bluish color on its smooth scales. The blue racer is active during the day and can be found in semi-open habitats, meadows, or weedy lake edges and marshes. It’s also been spotted in Ohio, Indiana, as far west as Oregon and Washington and as far south as Kentucky. You can find them all throughout the Midwest including the border states of Illinois, Wisconsin, South Dakota, and Southern Minnesota. Young blue racers have a blotched pattern that slowly fades. There has not been a sighting of this snake in Black Hawk County, but it was spotted in Linn County in 2020. A Blue Racer (Coluber constrictor) observed in Livingston Co., MI. Have you seen one? According to, they have been mainly found in Iowa in areas south of Highway 20. Even though they are non-venomous, they can surely lash out and cause a painful bite. The blue racer is a non-venomous, fast-moving snake with a distinctive blue coloration, native to North America. ![]() They are non-venomous, but when threatened they may shake their tail to mimic a rattlesnake. ![]()
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