General Description: Striped Whipsnakes (Masticophis taeniatus) are long, slender, dark colored snakes with light stripes on the sides.

Taxonomy: Colubrid Snakes Family (Colubridae). Formerly Coluber taeniatus.

Technical Description: Long, slender snake (3-6 feet long). Ground color dark with a blueish cast. Light stripes on the side. Dorsal scales smooth. Anal divided.

Diet: As can be seen, they eat lizards; also other snakes, small rodents, birds, and bugs.

Habitat: Rocky canyon in the Pinyon-Juniper Woodland and Yellow Pine life zones.

Range: Widely distributed across the western deserts from eastern Washington to west Texas. Occurs throughout all of Nevada, the east edge of California, Utah, and northern Arizona.

Breeding: 3-12 eggs laid during mid-summer

Similar Species: Garter Snakes look quite similar, but have a light stripe down the center of the back in addition to the stripes on the sides. plus often a light spot on the top of the head.

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