Description: In adulthood they grow to be 18 to 25 inches. They start out at 6.5 to 7 inches after hatching. Adults are thin and are black with a mid-dorsal stripe that is a lighter shade of black and two blue stripes, hence the name "bluestripe ribbon snake".

Habitat: They are semi-aquatic and are active during the day. They can be found by lakes, rivers, and slow-moving streams.

Range: The bluestripe ribbon snake (Thamnophis saurita nitae) is a subspecies of the ribbon snake that occurs along the Gulf Coast in Florida.

Found in these States: FL

Diet: They eat frogs, salamanders, small fishes, earthworms, minnows, lizards, and insects.

Reproduction: Beginning in the spring, after hibernation, ribbon snakes begin to look for another snake with which to mate. Ribbon snakes are ovoviviparous snakes, meaning they give birth to live young. The live young tend to be born in the summer, in litters of 4 to 27 snakes. Ribbon snakes tend to mature after two to three years, which is when they will be able to start breeding. Ribbon snakes tend to breed once or twice each year after they mature.

Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

Taxonomy: Taxonomic Swap 33801 (Committed on 06-20-2018) - Thamnophis sauritus changes to Thamnophis saurita