Butler's garter snake (Thamnophis butleri) is a species of garter snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to North America.
Butler's garter snake is a small harmless snake native to North America. It is slender with three yellow to orange stripes along the length of its body. The background color can range from olive-brown to black, and it may also be possible to discern two rows of dark spots between the side and back stripes.
Butler's garter snakes are found in northwestern Ohio, northeastern Indiana, the eastern portion of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, and the adjacent extreme southern tip of Ontario, Canada. Also, a disjunct population is found in southeastern Wisconsin. These snakes inhabit moist, grassy, open canopy areas, such as meadows, wet prairies, marshes, savannas, and grasslands. They may also be found in grassy vacant lots in suburban and residential areas.
Butler's garter snakes are active during the day; they can often be seen sunning themselves on rocks or on the ground and usually take shelter under rocks, logs, trash, and boards. They are generally solitary but will hibernate communally, often with other garter snake species. Butler's garter snakes are shy creatures and when feeling threatened they prefer to flee rather than bite.
Butler's garter snakes are carnivores. Their diet includes mainly earthworms, but they may also eat leeches, salamanders, and frogs.
Butler's garter snakes breed in late March and early April after they emerge from winter hibernation. They are ovoviviparous giving birth between 4 and 14 live young in June or July. The newborns are 13-18 cm (5.1-7.1 in) long. They are fully independent from birth and reach reproductive maturity in their second spring.
In some areas of their native range, Butler's garter snakes are considered an endangered species. They are threatened by habitat loss mainly due to fragmentation and development of agriculture and also suffer from road mortality.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of Butler's garter snake total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
