Queen Snake

Wisconsin status: endangered

length: 15-24 inches

This beautiful snake calls water home. It needs clear streams with good currents and rocky bottoms in order to survive.

It should come as no surprise, given that it lives in streams, that it feeds almost entirely on molted crayfish. It also munches on frogs, tadpoles, newts, minnows, snails, and fairy shrimp.

You can identify the queen snake by the three black stripes that run down its brown or gray back and a set of pale, yellow stripes that run down its sides. There are also two dark stripes on the belly up toward its head. Consider yourself lucky if you get a glipse of one of these endangered snakes.