Additional information
by Carl Juan (Author)
Known by its scientific name, Opheodrys aestivus, the Rough Green Snake is a non-venomous snake native to the southeastern United States. Some facts and features about the Rough Green Snake are listed below.
- Rough Green Snakes are slim and a vibrant green, allowing them to disappear into the surrounding flora. The underside of their bellies are normally white or golden. The name comes from the slightly abrasive feel that their scales provide.
- Adult Rough Green Snakes are normally between 20 and 32 inches (50 and 80 cm) in length.
- These snakes prefer grassy and woody environments, such as gardens, meadows, and forests. They prefer to spend most of their time in trees and plants, making them arboreal.
- Rough Green Snakes are known to be docile and peaceful creatures. They are largely insectivorous, eating on a diet of insects, spiders, and other tiny invertebrates. They won't harm humans intentionally and won't harm humans accidentally either.
- Females deposit eggs, usually between three and twelve of them, in a secret spot like rotting wood or leaf litter. After a few weeks, the eggs hatch, and the baby snakes can survive on their own.
- The Rough Green Snake can be found all the way from the southeastern United States (where it is commonly found) to the eastern seaboard (where it is found in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas).
- Rough Green Snakes are numerous across their habitat and are not in danger of extinction at this time. But like many other reptile species, they can be threatened by human actions such as the destruction of their habitat.
The Rough Green Snake is an interesting and relatively harmless reptile that helps keep insect populations in check while also standing out for its striking green hue. People in the southeastern United States see it frequently and value it for the ecosystem services it provides.
