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Smooth Green Snake

(Liochlorophis vernalis)

Identification: Upper side with smooth (unkeeled) scales, typically a uniform grass green (bluish after death, including in preservative); belly pure white; anal scale divided; nostril centered in single scale; maximum total length in our region at least 62 cm  (24.4 inches).   Juvenile: upper side olive gray.   Hatchling: upper side gray or brown.

Colorado Distribution: Patchy distribution around the margins of the mountains, generally at elevations of 5,500-9,000 feet. Locally fairly common but somewhat hard to find.    

Habitat: Lush growths of herbaceous and shrubby vegetation along mountain and foothill streams and meadow habitats adjacent to riparian vegetation. In western Colorado, may be common in mountain shrublands far from water. Usually on the ground, sometimes climbs into low vegetation. Takes shelter in burrows, beneath rocks or wood, or in rotting logs.   

Life History: Limited information suggests that females produce a clutch of eggs in July. Multiple females may lay eggs in a single site. Hatchlings emerge in late August and September. Activity occurs in daytime and at dusk. Insects, spiders, and other invertebrates are the main foods.    

Note: Some herpetologists refer to this snake as Opheodrys vernalis.