Longing to Be Charmed

I’m not an expert, but I believe this is a common black ratsnake.  Nearing the end of a hike through the woods, my wife spotted it first and I hurried to grab a photo. I didn’t get much before it quickly retreated into the brush at Bluff Woods Conservation Area in northwestern Missouri.

Black ratsnakes are non-venomous; they kill their prey by constriction. They’re best known for their color combination of a shiny bluish-black body undercoated by a whitish belly.  They’re harmless to humans but they can startle you by their stealth and, often, large size.

To get a better, more detailed look at those scales and tongue (mostly a blur) click on the photo.

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