Checkered Snakes in Tennessee

A checkered pattern, either on the ventral (belly) or dorsal (back) areas, identifies several species of snakes found in Tennessee and other areas of eastern North America. The commonly occurring corn snake, eastern garter snake and milk snake are characterized by this checkerboard pattern in black and white as well as other color combinations, which can occur along with other types of patterning and colors on the snake's body.

  1. Corn Snakes

    • The corn snake (Elaphe guttata) may have received its common name from its preference for hunting mice in cornfields, or because of its checkered ventral pattern, which resembles Indian corn. These nonvenomous snakes occur naturally over most of the eastern United States, extending as far west as Tennessee, and can reach an adult length of 2 1/2 to 5 feet. Corn snakes have a dorsal pattern of red and orange blotches bordered in black against a ground color of red, orange, brown or gray. The ventral area is generally white or light orange with a checkered black-and-white pattern.

    Eastern Garter Snake

    • The eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis), a variant of the common garter snake, ranges widely across most of eastern North America, including eastern Tennessee. With an adult length of up to 4 feet, the eastern garden snake has variable patterns, including striped, checkered, and melanistic (albino) variants. Regardless of the primary coloration, most varieties have a checkerboard pattern between the dorsal stripes.

    Milk Snakes

    • With 25 subspecies, the milk snake (Lampropeltes triangulum triangulum) has one of the largest ranges of any snake in the world, found from Canada through the eastern and central United States and as far south as Ecuador. Often mistaken for the venomous copperhead, the nonvenomous milk snake has a gray to tan background color with a dorsal pattern of black bordered blotches and a black-and-white checkerboard pattern on the ventral area.

    Snake Habitats and Life Cycle

    • Corn, garter and milk snakes share a number of characteristics. Typically inhabiting cooler, wetter areas, these snakes typically feed on mice, frogs, bird eggs and lizards. With a lifespan of up to 10 years, these snakes can occur in populated areas such as farmlands and gardens, and can aid in the control of common garden pests.