>>What differentiates them from yellow rat snakes in the similar areas that they occupy? Is the the longitudinal striping, or other characteristics?

Yellows typically prefer and occupy the coastal areas at the northern edges of their range and have the longitudinal striping. Even though they might be a "green" color they are still considered yellow rat snakes. Blotches in an adult would indicate an intergradient specimen. Here is a range map from the Davidson U. website:

Davidson rat snake page

Another good reference is Palmer and Braswell's Snakes of North Carolina book.

Of course you'll have some European heterophobes that will disagree with all this, but that's OK.

dg

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