Night Snake
Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Suborder
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Hypsiglena torquata
Population size
Unknown
Life Span
over 12 years
Length
30-66
11.8-26
cminch
cm inch 

The night snake (Hypsiglena torquata ) is a species of rear-fanged colubrid. It is found from British Columbia, Canada through the western United States to Mexico.

Appearance

The Night snake is a mildly venomous species of rear-fanged colubrid found in North America. It is pale gray, light brown, or beige in color, with dark grey or brown blotches on the back and sides. The head of this snake is rather flat and triangular-shaped and usually has a pair of dark brown blotches on the neck. It also has a black or dark brown bar behind the eyes that contrasts against the white or pale gray upper labial scales and the pupil of the eye is vertical. The belly is white or yellowish. Females are usually longer and heavier than males.

Distribution

Geography

Night snakes are found throughout the southwestern and western United States, as well as Mexico and British Columbia, Canada. They live in many different types of habitat including grasslands, deserts, sagebrush flats, chaparral, woodlands, thorn scrub, thorn forest, and mountain meadows.

Night Snake habitat map

Climate zones

Night Snake habitat map

Habits and Lifestyle

Night snakes are generally solitary. They are known to be both crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk), and nocturnal often seen crossing roads at night. During the day they shelter under rocks, boards, dead branches, and other surface litter. They are also known to inhabit mammal burrows. During cold winter months, Night snakes hibernate often with rattlesnakes and are known to aestivate during periods of the summer. They are generally most active from April to October, with peaks of activity usually occurring in June. Although Night snakes pose no threat to humans, they are slightly venomous and use this venom to subdue their prey. If threatened, they may coil up and thrust their coils at the threat, while flattening the head into a triangular defensive shape.

Seasonal behavior

Venom

Although the night snake poses no threat to humans, it is slightly venomous and uses this venom to subdue its prey.

Diet and Nutrition

Night snakes are carnivores and feed primarily on lizards and their eggs. Other prey includes juvenile rattlesnakes and blind snakes, salamanders, frogs, and large insects.

Mating Habits

REPRODUCTION SEASON
spring
PREGNANCY DURATION
50 to 60 days
INCUBATION PERIOD
7-8 weeks
BABY CARRYING
2 to 6
INDEPENDENT AGE
at birth
FEMALE NAME
female
MALE NAME
male
BABY NAME
snakelet
web.animal_clutch_size
2-9 eggs

The breeding season of Night snakes takes place in the spring and females lay a clutch of 2-9 eggs from April to August. Eggs hatch in 7 to 8 weeks, usually in late summer. Young are independent upon hatching and males are known to reach reproductive maturity after one year of age.

Population

Population threats

There are no major threats to Night snakes at present. However, they are vulnerable to habitat loss, human activities, and roadkills, particularly at night.

Population number

The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Night snake total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.

References

1. Night Snake on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_snake
2. Night Snake on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/63823/12719256

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