Head to head
Butler's Garter Snake vs Northwestern Garter Snake
Butler's garter snake and the northwestern garter snake are both small, harmless garter snakes, but they occupy opposite corners of the continent and have built very different reputations, one for habitat specialisation and the other for colour variety.
| Butler's Garter Snake | Northwestern Garter Snake | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Thamnophis butleri | Thamnophis ordinoides |
| Head shape | Notably narrow, smaller than most garter snakes | Typical garter snake head shape |
| Colour pattern variability | Relatively consistent | Extremely variable, even within one population |
| Habitat | Wet prairie and grassland remnants | Wide variety of habitats |
| Range | Great Lakes region | Pacific coast of North America |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Stable |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, locally threatened | Least Concern |
| Diet | Carnivore | Carnivore |
Butler's Garter Snake vs Northwestern Garter Snake: common questions
What makes Butler's garter snake different from the northwestern garter snake?
Butler's garter snake has a notably narrow head for its genus and depends specifically on wet prairie and grassland remnants around the Great Lakes region, while the northwestern garter snake tolerates a much wider range of habitats along the Pacific coast and is known for extremely variable colour patterns rather than any distinctive head shape.
Why is the northwestern garter snake known for colour variation?
This species shows an unusually wide range of colour patterns even among snakes from the same local population, with individuals varying considerably in stripe colour and pattern intensity, a level of within-population variability that goes well beyond what most other garter snake species, including Butler's garter snake, typically display.
Why has Butler's garter snake declined in parts of its range?
This species depends specifically on wet prairie and grassland habitat around the Great Lakes region, and as much of that habitat has been lost to agriculture and development, the snake's population has declined in several states, a pressure the more habitat-adaptable northwestern garter snake has not faced to the same degree.