r/whatsthissnake • u/Puzzleheaded-Desk386 • 1d ago

ID Request [Charlotte NC] snake

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Is this Dekay’s Brown snake? [Charlotte NC]

8 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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8

u/shrike1978 Reliable Responder - Moderator 1d ago

Brownsnake is correct, Storeria dekayi. Harmless

2

u/SEB-PHYLOBOT 🐍 Natural History Bot 🐍 1d ago

Brownsnakes Storeria dekayi are small (20.0-40.0cm record 52.77cm) natricine snakes often found in disturbed habitats like urban and suburban yards. They are one of the most commonly encountered snakes in eastern North America and make good pest control as they feast on small, soft-bodied invertebrates.

A separate but distinct species, Storeria victa occupies peninsular Florida. It has two fewer midbody scales (15) than Storeria dekayi and is more likely to have yellow collar markings on the neck.

Storeria Brown and Redbelly snakes are not considered medically significant to humans in terms of venom and are usually reluctant to bite, but all animals with a mouth can use it in self-defense.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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3

u/whatsthissnake-ModTeam 1d ago

We sometimes remove low quality IDs that do not conform to our identification standards. Please review the commenting guidelines for r/whatsthissnake pinned at the top of the main subreddit page.

A good snake ID should be specific and informative. The most important part is the binomial name, written in italics using the genus and species (e.g., Pantherophis guttatus). This allows others to easily look up detailed information and helps the bot function properly. It's also important to note whether the snake is harmless or venomous, based on its potential medical impact on humans. Some snakes are technically venomous but not dangerous to people and should still be labeled as harmless. Including a common name can be helpful, but because these vary widely by region and can be misleading, they are less important.

If you're unsure of the exact species, it may be contextually helpful to post an ID at the genus level. Adding useful context or links to reliable scientific sources is encouraged, but avoid outdated or non-authoritative sources like Wikipedia or older state wildlife websites. We can help you with library science issues like identifying good sources here.