Smooth Green Snake
NDGF
L 12-22”. A fast moving and inconspicuous snake, it is bright green above and white to pale yellow below.
Status in North Dakota
Year-round resident.
Range Map
Smooth Green Snake primary range.
Reason for SWAP Designation
Identified as a Regional SGCN by the Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
Further evaluation is needed in ND.
Threats
Destruction and/or degradation of grassland habitat.
It is unknown what effect pesticides, development, and other disturbance has on populations.
Research and Monitoring
- North Dakota State has surveyed eastern ND Wildlife Management Areas for Herptiles and their habitats from 2014- 2016 and 2019-2021.
- Currently no dedicated monitoring is taking place. Possible monitoring options could include the general public through an application like Herpmapper, the NDGFD incidental reporting system, or national monitoring initiatives such as PARC. Monitoring should be directed at all herptile species.
Management Recommendations
- Maintain the open nature of habitat.
- Protect wetlands within grasslands and control livestock access.
- Avoid excessive grazing and off-road vehicle use.
- Leave logs, snags, and other woody debris on site, and replace if removed.
Primary Geological Regions
Habitat Associations
Habitat Use
Smooth Green Snakes are found in grazed or ungrazed grassland, particularly the uplands of hills where grass is shorter.
Moist meadows, native prairies, and occasionally woodland clearings are also used.
It is rarely seen, other than in very short grass or perhaps crossing a road.
Smooth Green Snakes hibernate in burrows, rock crevices, road embankments, and ant mounds.
Prey primarily consists of invertebrates, including ants, maggots, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, grubs, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, slugs, snails, salamanders, and small crayfish.