Land snakes often eat crickets.
The common snake is a small reptile that lives in crevices. These snakes are usually less than 19 inches long and are not poisonous to humans. Ground snakes are considered useful animals to have around the home as they eat many pests such as scorpions, centipedes and spiders.
There are two genera of land snakes. In South America the genus Atractus can be found, while the genus Sonora inhabits North America. In North America, the types of snakes are primarily found in the western, southwestern, and midwestern regions. These snakes prefer very dry or sandy areas, as well as thickets in riverbeds.
Ground snakes eat centipedes and other household pests.
A small head and smooth scales are characteristic of the snake. The snakes sometimes have black heads, although their stomachs are usually pale in color. These snakes have divided anal plates and eyes with round pupils. Although the snake has rear fangs, they are not considered a threat to humans.
Land snakes can be difficult to identify as they differ greatly in color. The ground snake’s basic colors include red, orange, and brown. They can be solid in color or feature various patterns. Patterns can include bands, dots, or stripes.
So many different color variations led scientists to believe that there were five species of snakes. However, after much research, it turned out that the colors did not influence the reproduction of the snakes, making the separate species almost impossible to identify. Some scientists continue to refer to different snake species by region.
These types of snakes are very secretive. Humans can rarely see the ground snake when it settles in narrow crevices and rocks. If rocks and crevices are not available, the snakes will burrow under dense vegetation if necessary. Snakes are typically nocturnal, hunting for food at night.
Females can lay up to six eggs, which are laid in the summer months. Mating season normally takes place in spring and fall. After seven to ten weeks of incubation, young snakes only 10 to 13 cm long emerge.
In addition to scorpions, spiders, and centipedes, the terrestrial snake feeds on many other insects and small animals. Insect larvae are considered a treat for snakes. They also like grasshoppers and crickets. Other names for this type of snake include western ground snake and variable ground snake. The name of the snake can also be written as land snake.