At night and during cool weather they take refuge in burrows or under cover such as boards or tin. Habits: Black racers are only active during the daytime and are most active in warm weather. They are also often found in moderately disturbed or agricultural habitats. However, they are most abundant in edge habitats such as forest edges, old fields, and wetland edges. Racers are habitat generalists and can be found in nearly any habitat in the Southeast. Racers are found in all areas of South Carolina and Georgia and among the most common snakes in nearly all habitats. Other subspecies such as yellow-bellied racers are found in the Central U.S. Range and Habitat: Black racers are found throughout the eastern U.S., from southern Maine to the Florida Keys. The juvenile pattern of young racers fades to black when the snakes are about 12 in long. Additionally, young racers are more slender and have larger eyes than juveniles of most other snakes in our region. These blotches are more rounded (less square) than those of young rat snakes and watersnakes. Young racers do not resemble adults and are generally tan or grayish with a series of brown or reddish blotches running down the center of the back. While rat snakes, king snakes, and hognose snakes generally freeze when approached, racers usually flee rapidly or sometimes stand their ground and attempt to strike. When observed from a distance, behavior is often the best way to differentiate a racer from other species. Additionally, racers lack the upturned nose of hognose snakes and keeled scales of hognose and rat snakes. However, black racers are generally more slender and uniformly black than those species. Adult racers can be mistaken for any of the other large black snakes present in our region including black rat snakes (which are generally restricted to the Piedmont and Mountains in our region), black-phase eastern hognose snakes, eastern or black kingsnakes, or dark coachwhips. The belly is generally uniformly dark gray or black. They have smooth scales, large eyes, and often have some white coloration under their chin. Willson unless otherwise notedĭescription: As their name implies, black racers are relatively large - to 60 in (152 cm) - fairly slender, solid black snakes. In the Apalachicola River Basin, the chin and throat of adults may be tan.Photos by J.D. South of Lake Okeechobee, the body of adults may be bluish, greenish, or gray. The body of adults is solid black the chin and throat are white. The body of juveniles (< 2 ft.) is gray with irregular reddish-brown blotches that fade with age. Young Black Racers have obvious blotches that gradually fade to solid gray-black by adulthood. The Racer captures its prey and holds it tightly against the ground until the prey succumbs. Black Racers are not constrictors as their scientific name suggests. They are great swimmers too.Ī Black Racer’s diet consists of whatever is available: Insects, frogs, toads, sal amanders, lizards, snakes, birds and bird eggs, moles, mice, and rats. These snakes would prefer to race away through the grass, into a shrub, up a tree, or into a hole. Black Racers are not venomous, although they will bite when cornered. It adapts easily to any habitat and is commonly found in low shrubs in urban areas. The Southern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor priapus) is the most common snake found in Florida.
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