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We came across this snake on a bike path on Mackinac Island in Michigan. I have viewed all 17 of Michigan's indigenous snakes and it doesn't seem to be any of them. I think it most closely resembles the Massasauga (rattlesnake) but if so it was young as it had no rattles. The body is sort of thinner than that though. I'm really curious if anyone recognizes it. Thanks.

Mackinac Island Snake

Although the photo is very dark, and fairly hard to make out, it looks to be an Eastern milksnake(Lampropeltis t. triangulum). They can be extremely variable over their large range.

best regards, ~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Look what happened after I fussed around with the brightness/contrast, color balance, and size of the image.

Judy, milksnakes are harmless, by the way. They mostly eat rodents and other snakes in your range. If you go south they eat lizards too.

a larger version of the image

There ya go!,

I rest my case.LOL!

take care, my friend!

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

OK, I'm going with Milksnake or ratsnake. Thanks for all of your help folks. It was cool to see it, whatever it was.

Judy

DMong is back!
Welcome. Where the hell have you been?
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1.0.0 Great Plains Ratsnake
1.0.0 Corn, Lavender Aztec het for Amel
1.0.0 Ghost Sonoran Gohper
1.0.0 Black Bassador Retriever
2.1.0 Godchildren, 1 Evil, 2 possible hets
0.1.0 Girlfriend, WC, Adventure Chick Phase

Well whata ya know!

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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Looks like an eastern garter snake to me. (Thamnophis sirtalis).

Look at all the large dark squarish blotches(saddles) along the back and the smaller ones laterally?

best regards, ~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Definitely a colubrid (non-venomous snake). I could not even hazard a guess as to what. I would suggest that you look at those snakes from your state again, paying attention to the water snakes as well as the kings (milk) and garters. It is bound to be one of them.

~~Greg~~

Definately not a Massasauga.

The picture is very dark as Doug mentioned. Did it look similar to this eastern milksnake?

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Joe

It could be similar, but the color in my photo is correct--this one is much lighter and browner. The one we saw is darker...dark grey or closer to blacker.

Thanks,
Judy

Judy,...

Yes, as I stated earlier, their coloration can vary drastically from locality and even within each population.Some are very clean and vivid red, while other's can be very dark and "muddied" with melanin pigmentation. In other words, they can be anywhere in between a 1 or a 10. Here is one that looks VERY similar to the one you pictured. This one also just happens to be from Michigan as well.

best regards, ~Doug

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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

The only other snake that came to my mind when looking at your photo was a juvenile black ratsnake. From the angle of the photo it is hard to see the snake's head. The head doesn't look like a rat from the angle of the photo though. This is a harmless snake as well.

I found this photo online.

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Joe

Hi Joe,

Yes, the Black ratsnake does basically look similar in general appearance, but if you look at the enhanced photo "anuuranman" posted of it, you can plainly see the very close squarish blotching dorsally, the smaller side blotches, hints of the teltale ventrolateral checkering, and also the postocular stripe in back of the eye that are all indicative of the Eastern milk.

No doubt it can only be one thing, good ol' triangulum!

Which reminds me, hope your awesome albino male is doing well!. He has probably sired some nice het youngsters for you by now,..huh??

best regards, ~Doug

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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Thanks Doug. I had the same thoughts as you, the only thing that throws me off a little from Ltt is the AMOUNT of blotches. My first guess would be Ltt, but I have never seen one with so many blotches. A closeup on the head would be 100% conclusive, but I doubt it exists.

The albino is doing great and still working on getting it done.

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Joe

Yes, I agree, that wild specimen does have an unusually high number of blotches when compared to most others.

Thanks for the latest info on that sweet amel of yours!.....lookin' good!

best regards, ~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"