blue racer

snake

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Last updated

June 22, 2026

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The blue racer is a subspecies of the North American racer snake, Coluber constrictor foxii. These swift, nonvenomous snakes are found from southern Ontario to Missouri. Their coloration is typically bluish, greenish-blue, gray, or brownish, sometimes with yellow bellies.12

Racers are slender with smooth scales and large eyes, and some can reach lengths of about 1.8 meters (6 feet). They are diurnal and known for their speed, moving quickly through grass and bushes. Despite their scientific name, C. constrictor does not kill prey by constriction. Instead, they subdue their prey, usually small warm-blooded animals, with their body weight before swallowing them. If threatened, they may vibrate their tails and strike repeatedly.2

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racer
Blue racers are the central and western North American subspecies of C. constrictor; they are plain bluish, greenish blue, gray, or brownish, sometimes with yellow bellies. The eastern subspecies is called black snake; it is all black except for a patch of white on its…
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Blue racers are the central and western North American subspecies of C. constrictor; they are plain bluish, greenish blue, gray, or brownish, sometimes with yellow bellies. The eastern subspecies is called black snake; it is all black except for a patch of white on its…
Read More