HARMLESS. The Plains Gartersnake is characterized by keeled scales, a single anal scale, a stripe on each side of the body situated on the third and fourth scale rows (counting from the belly up), dark vertical bars on the upper lips, and alternating rows of black spots between the stripes on the back. This snake is greenish gray, light olive, or tan, with black spots between the three stripes on the body. The stripe running down the middle of the back may be bright yellow or orange; the stripes on the sides are normally yellow. The belly is white, grayish, or greenish, with a row of black spots down each side. Some specimens of this snake from Barton County in central Kansas exhibit a bright red color on the sides of their bodies. A color photograph of this variant appears in Behler and King (1979). Adult males have longer tails than females. Females grow slightly larger than males.Young look like miniature adults.
Adults normally grow to 38.0-71.0 mm (15-28 inches) in total length. The largest specimen from Kansas is a female (KU 221508) from Ellis County with a total length of 104.4 mm (411⁄8 inches) collected by Mark Van Doren, Curtis J. Schmidt, and Russell Toepfer in September 1993. The maximum length throughout the range is 109.2 cm (43 inches) (Powell et al., 2016).
Found in all but the southeastern corner of the state. Seldom encountered east of the Flint Hills or in the central portion of the Red Hills where populations become localized.
Plains Gartersnakes prefer open grassy prairies, particularly along the edges of streams, marshes, and lakes. They are normally active from March to November, but during a warm spell in the coldest winter months they will emerge from their underground retreats. This snake is usually active during the day, basking in the sun or foraging for food. Berglund (1967) noted that at Cheyenne Bottoms, Barton County, this species is killed frequently by automobiles because it commonly basks in the sun on dirt or gravel roads.
Knight and Collins (1977) observed that Plains Gartersnakes were found exclusively along streams in Cheyenne County during late May. Platt (1985) studied the habitat preference of this snake in Harvey County and found it abundant in sand prairies. Irwin and Collins (1987) found 25 of these serpents along the stillwater ditches of Cheyenne Bottoms from 1 May to 6 June.
This snake mates during April and May and sometimes in the fall. One or more courting males crawl over and alongside a female with jerking, writhing movements. A successful male curls his tail beneath the female's until their cloacal openings meet and copulation occurs. More than one male may mate with a female. During late July, August, or September, each female gives birth to a litter of young, which may range in number from five to sixty (Fitch, 1985), with an average of twenty. Gloyd (1928) reported a female from Franklin County that gave birth to thirteen young on 6 August. Collins (1974) obtained a female on 15 June in Ellsworth County, which gave birth to 20 young on 18 September. Eric M. Rundquist (pers. comm., 1989) recorded a litter of ten young born on 30 July to a female from Sumner County. Species of Thamnophis are viviparous and develop functional chorioallantoic and omphalallantoic placentae. Although embryos are predominantly lecithotrophic, substantial maternal transfer of respiratory gases, water, sodium, and calcium occurs, and experimental evidence demonstrates organic nutrient transfer consistent with incipient placentotrophy.
The Plains Gartersnake feeds on earthworms, toads, frogs, salamanders, fish, and small rodents. Gray and Douglas (1989) recorded this snake preying on Southern Redbelly Dace in isolated pools on the Konza Prairie near Manhattan.
Predators of the Plains Gartersnake include large birds, mammals, and other snakes (Collins, 1993).
The Plains Gartersnake was first reported from Kansas by Mozely (1877). The first specimen (USNM 329) was collected near the "Little Blue River" on 29 July 1857.
The records for Coffey, Osage, and Franklin counties are in need of corroboration. Any reports of specimens east of the Flint Hills are noteworthy.
A series from Coffey County (KU 1997, 2028, 2031, 2044-7) were collected on 27 June 1912, but their given locality "Neosho River" is too ambiguous to plot.
Rundquist (1999) reported assumed hybridization with a captive female Thamnophis sirtalis, however, given that long-term sperm storage and multiple paternity have been reported in T. sirtalis, there are other interpretations not considered.
Based on a captive specimen, Snider and Bowler (1992) reported a maximum longevity for this snake of eight years, five months, and three days.
References
Jan, Giorgio. 1863. Elenco Sistematico degli Ofidi descriti e disegnati per l'Iconografia Generale. [Systematic list of Ophidians described and drawn for General Iconography.]. A. Lombardi, Milan, Italy. 143 pp.
Mozley, Annie E. 1877. List of Kansas snakes in the museum of the Kansas State University. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 6:34-35.
Cragin, Francis W. 1880. A preliminary catalogue of Kansas reptiles and batrachians. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 7:112-123.
Brons, H. A. 1882. Notes on the habits of some western snakes. The American Naturalist 16(7):564-567.
Branson, Edwin B. 1904. Snakes of Kansas. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 2(13):353-430.
Ruthven, Alexander G. 1908. Variations and genetic relationships of the garter-snakes. Bulletin of the United States National Museum (61):1-201.
Hurter, Julius. 1911. Herpetology of Missouri. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 20(5):59-274.
Burt, Charles E. 1927. An annotated list of the amphibians and reptiles of Riley County, Kansas. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan (189):12.
Taylor, Edward H. 1929. A revised checklist of the snakes of Kansas. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 19(5):53-62.
Taylor, Edward H. 1929. List of reptiles and batrachians of Morton County, Kansas, reporting species new to the state fauna. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 19(6):63-65.
Stejneger, Leonhard H. and Thomas Barbour. 1933. A Checklist of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 3rd Edition. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Burt, Charles E. 1933. Some distributional and ecological records of Kansas reptiles. Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 26:186-208.
Brennan, Lawrence A. 1934. A check list of the amphibians and reptiles of Ellis County, Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 37:189-191.
Burt, Charles E. and W. L. Hoyle. 1934. Additional records of the reptiles of the central prairie region of the United States. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 37:193-216.
Brennan, Lawrence A. 1935. Notes on the distribution of Amphibia and Reptilia of Ellis County, Kansas. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 114 pp.
Burt, Charles E. 1935. Further records of the ecology and distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the middle west. The American Midland Naturalist 16(3):311-366.
Brumwell, Malcolm J. 1936. Distributional records of the reptilia and amphibians of Kansas. Privately printed. 22 pp.
Grant, Chapman. 1937. Herpetological notes from Central Kansas. The American Midland Naturalist 18(3):370-372.
Brennan, Lawrence A. 1937. A study of the habitat of reptiles and amphibians of Ellis County, Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 40:341-347.
Schmidt, Karl P. 1938. Herpetological evidence for the postglacial eastward extension of the steppe in North America. Ecology 19(3):396-407.
Tihen, Joseph A. and James M. Sprague. 1939. Amphibians, reptiles, and mammals of the Meade County State Park. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 42:499-512.
Schmidt, Karl Peterson and D. D. Davis. 1941. Field Book of Snakes of the United States and Canada. C.P. Putnam and Sons, New York. 365 pp.
Hudson, G. E. 1942. The amphibians and reptiles of Nebraska. Nebraska Conservation Bulletin 24:1-146.
Marr, John C. 1944. Notes on amphibians and reptiles from the central United States. The American Midland Naturalist 32(2):478-490.
Smith, Albert G. 1949. The subspecies of the Plains garter snake, Thamnophis radix. Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Sciences 8(14):285-300.
Smith, Hobart M. 1950. Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of Kansas. University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History, Miscellaneous Publication (2):336.
Wolfenbarger, Keith. A. 1951. Systematic and Biological Studies on North American Chiggers of the genus Eutrombicula (Acarina, Trombiculidae). Thesis. University of Kansas, Lawrence. 77 pp.
Brumwell, Malcolm J. 1951. An ecological survey of the Fort Leavenworth Military Reservation. The American Midland Naturalist 45(1):187-231.
Smith, Hobart M. 1956. Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of Kansas. Second edition. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Miscellaneous Publication (9):1-356.
Loomis, Richard B. 1956. The chigger mites of Kansas (Acarina, Trombiculidae). University of Kansas Science Bulletin 37:1195-1443.
Steward, P. L. 1960. Lung-flukes of snakes, genera Thamnophis and Coluber, in Kansas. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 41:877-890.
Gish, Charles D. 1962. The Herpetofauna of Ellis County, Kansas. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 34 pp.
Choate, Jerry R. 1967. Wildlife in the Wakarusa Watershed of Northeastern Kansas. Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 46 pp.
Collins, Joseph T. 1974. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Public Education Series (1):283 pp.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1975. Amphibians and Reptiles of Kingman County, Kansas. Privately Printed, Lawrence, Kansas. 3 pp.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1976. Field checklist (of) amphibians and reptiles of Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society, Lawrence.
Capron, Marty B. and Jan Perry. 1976. A July weekend in Great Bend. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (14):1-2.
Knight, James L. and Joseph T. Collins. 1977. The amphibians and reptiles of Cheyenne County, Kansas, Report Number 15. Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 19 pp.
Lesch, Martin E. 1977. Autecology of the Western Plains Garter Snake, Thamnophis radix haydeni (Reptilla[sic]: Colubridae) in Douglas County, Nebraska. Thesis. University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska. 51 pp.
Curl, Richard L. 1978. Final Environmental Statement: Milford Lake Kansas operation and maintenance. US Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District. 158 pp.
Collins, Joseph T. and Janalee P. Caldwell. 1978. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1977. Technical Publication of the State Biological Survey of Kansas 6:70-88.
Ports, Mark A. 1979. Occurrence and density studies of nongame wildlife in southwestern Kansas - May 16-August 16, 1979. Kansas Fish and Game Commission, Pratt, Kansas. 83 pp.
Collins, Joseph T. 1979. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1978. Technical Publication of the State Biological Survey of Kansas 8:56-66.
Clarke, Robert F. 1980. Herptiles and fishes of the western Arkansas River in Kansas. United States Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 55 pp.
Spencer, Dwight. 1980. Spencer, D. 1980. Ross Natural History Reservation: the first twenty years, 1959 to 1979. Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas.. 64 pp.
Gray, Peter. 1980. An albino Thamnophis radix haydeni (Western Plains Garter Snake). Herpetological Review 11:112.
Glass, G. E., and N .A. Slade. 1980. The effect of Sigmodon hispidus on spatial and temporal activity of Microtus ochrogaster: Evidence for competition. Ecology 61:358-370.
Collins, Joseph T. 1981. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1980. Technical Publication of the State Biological Survey of Kansas 10:7-19.
Collins, Joseph T. 1982. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. 2nd edition. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Public Education Series (8).
Rogers, Karel L. 1982. Herpetofaunas of the Courland Canal and Hall Ash Local Faunas (Pleistoncene: Early Kansas) of Jewell Co., Kansas. Journal of Herpetology 16(2):174-177.
Collins, Joseph T. 1983. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1982 . Technical Publication of the State Biological Survey of Kansas 13:9-21.
Achen, Von, Pennie. H., and John L. Rakestraw. 1984. The role of chemoreception in the prey selection of neonate reptiles. Pages 163-172 in Vertebrate Ecology and Systematics— A Tribute to Henry S Fitch. Special Publication Number 10. The University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Lawrence.
Holman, J. Alan. 1984. Herpetofaunas of the Duck Creek and Williams Local Faunas (Pleistocene: Illinoian) of Kansas. Pages 20-38 in Contributions in Quaternary Vertebrate Paleontology: A Volume in Memorial to John E. Guilday. Special Publication Number 8. Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Eshelman, Ralph and Michael Hager. 1984. Two Irvingtonian (Medial Pleistocene) vertebrate faunas from northcentral Kansas. Pages 384-404 in Contributions in Quaternary Vertebrate Paleontology: A Volume in Memorial to John E. Guilday. Special Publication Number 8. Special Publication Number 8, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Brown, Kenneth L. 1984. Pomona: A plains village variant in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. Dissertation. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 519 pp.
Heinrich, Mark L. 1984. Herpetofauna of the Konza Prairie Research Natural Area in the Flint Hills region of Kansas with respect to habitat selection. Thesis. Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas. 57 pp.
Secor, Stephen M. and Charles C. Carpenter. 1984. Distribution maps of Oklahoma reptiles. Oklahoma Herpetological Society Special Publication (3):1-57.
Collins, Joseph T. 1984. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1983. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (56):15-26.
Lynch, John D. 1985. Annotated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Nebraska. Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences 13:33-57.
Collins, Joseph T. 1986. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1986. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (66):9-16.
Holman, J. Alan. 1986. Butler Spring herpetofauna of Kansas (Pleistocene: Illinoian) and its climatic significance. Journal of Herpetology 20(4):568-569.
Coleman, Keith. 1987. Annual KHS Field Trip held at Atchison State Lake. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (68):5-6.
Holman, J. Alan. 1987. Climatic significance of a late Illinoian herpetofauna from southwestern Kansas. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan 27(5):129-141.
Holman, J. Alan. 1987. Snakes from the Robert Local Fauna (Late Wisconsinan) of Meade County, Kansas. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan 27(6):143-150.
Miller, Larry L. 1988. Harper County KHS field trip well attended. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (72):5-6.
Platt, Dwight R. 1989. Seasonal activity of snakes on a sand prairie. Pages 251-254 in Proceedings of the 11th North American Prairie Conference. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.
Collins, Joseph T. 1990. Maximum size records for Kansas amphibians and reptiles. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (81):13-17.
Toepfer, Karen. 1990. The tail (tail?) of the $1,375.92 garter snake. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (82):12-14.
Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1991. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. 3rd ed. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
Collins, Joseph T. and Suzanne L. Collins. 1991. Reptiles and Amphibians of the Cimarron National Grasslands, Morton County, Kansas. U. S. Forest Service, Elkhart, Kansas. 60 pp.
Collins, Joseph T. 1991. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1990. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (83):7-13.
Collins, Joseph T. 1991. Results of third Kansas herp count held during April-May 1991. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (85):9-13.
Ball, Robert L. 1992. High plains serpents: Results of a long-term study in Texas County, Oklahoma and Morton County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (88):16-17.
Taggart, Travis W. 1992. Results of the KHS annual field trip to Sheridan County State Lake. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (90):3-4.
Taggart, Travis W. 1992. KHS field trips. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (91):3.
Collins, Joseph T. and Suzanne L. Collins. 1993. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. Third Edition. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Lawrence. 397 pp.
Fitch, Henry S. 1993. Relative abundance of snakes in Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 96(3/4):213-224.
Taggart, Travis W. 1994. The natural history and distribution of the Green Toad (Bufo debilis) in Kansas, with a report on an effort to reintroduce the species into the Cimarron National Grasslands. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. 12 pp.
Collins, Joseph T. 1994. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1993. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (97):15-19.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1994. Results of the sixth annual KHS herp counts held 1 April-31 May 1994. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (97):5-14.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1994. Additions and corrections [to the results of the sixth annual KHS herp counts held 1 April-31 May 1994]. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (98):4.
Dloogatch, Michael A. (Editor). 1994. Herpetology 1994. Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society 29(12):282-283.
Holman, J. Alan. 1995. Pleistocene Amphibians and Reptiles. Oxford University Press, New York. 243 pp.
Anderson, Lewis, Mark Shaw, Jeff Blodig, and Tom Walker. 1995. Report to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks: Herps encountered during REmap project, summer 1994. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (99):10-17.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1995. Additional KHS herp counts for 1995. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (102):11-.
Rossman, Douglas A., Neil B. Ford, and Ricahrd A. Seigel. 1996. The Garter Snakes: Evolution and Ecology. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. 332 pp.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1996. Results of the eighth annual KHS herp counts Held 1 April-31 May 1996. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (104):6-17.
Rakestraw, J. 1996. Spring herp counts: A Kansas tradition. Reptile & Amphibian Magazine (March-April):75-80.
Taggart, Travis W. 1997. Status of Bufo debilis (Anura: Bufonidae) in Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (109):7-12.
Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1998. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. 3rd ed, expanded. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 1998. A Key to Amphibians & Reptiles of the Continental United States and Canada. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 131 pp.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1998. Results of the tenth annual KHS herp counts for 1998, held 1 April-31 May. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (112):11-18.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1999. Kansas Herpetological Society herp counts: A 10 year summary and evaluation. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (115):42962.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1999. Garter snake hybridization. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (118):15.
Collins, Joseph T. 2000. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1999. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (119):7-9.
Taggart, Travis W. 2000. KHS spring field trip sets record for attendance. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (120):5-5.
Doren, Van, Mark D., and Curtis J. Schmidt. 2000. A herpetological survey of the Fort Larned National Historic Site, Pawnee County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (120):8-11.
Taggart, Travis W. 2000. Biogeographic analysis of the reptiles (Squamata) in Ellis County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (121):7-16.
Rundquist, Eric M. 2000. Results of the eleventh and twelfth annual KHS herpetofaunal counts for 1999-2000, held 1 April-31 May. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (122):11-16.
Murphy, John C. and Russell M. Curry. 2000. A case of parthenogenesis in the Plains Garter Snake, Thamnophis radix. Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society 35(2):17-19.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2001. The amphibians, turtles, and reptiles of the Smoky Valley Ranch, Logan County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (124):9-11.
Rundquist, Eric M. 2001. Results of the thirteenth annual KHS herp counts for 2001, held 1 April-30 June. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (125):13-16.
Kingsbury, Bruce and Joanna Gibson. 2002. Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest. Publication of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Address not given. 152 pp.
Fogell, Daniel D. 2002. Occurrence and relative abundance of amphibians and reptiles at
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Homestead National Monument of
America, and Pipestone National Monument within the Heartland Inventory
and Monitoring Network. Interim Report. National Park Service, Washington, D.C.. 6 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2002. Results of the spring 2002 KHS field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (3):6-7.
Taggart, Travis W. 2002. Results of the KHS 2002 fall field Trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (4):11-13.
Collins, Suzanne L. 2002. Geographic distribution: Thamnophis radix. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (4):14.
Fogell, Daniel D. 2003. A herpetofaunal inventory of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Homestead National Monument of America, and Pipestone National Monument within the Heartland Inventory
and Monitoring Network. National Park Service, Washington, D.C.. 59 pp.
Suleiman, G. 2003. Fort Riley herpetofaunal count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (5):11-12.
Collins, Joseph T. 2003. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 2002. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (5):13-16.
Taggart, Travis W. 2003. Communal brumaculum. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (5):16.
Platt, Dwight R. 2003. Lizards and snakes (Order Squamata) of Harvey County, Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (6):13-20.
Burr, Andrew. 2003. Coffey County herp count 1. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (7):7.
Walley, Harlan D., T. L. Wusterbarth, and Kristin M. Stanford. 2003. Thamnophis radix. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (779):42748.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2004. Natural history and status of the exploited Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) in western Kansas and a herpetofaunal inventory of the Smoky Valley Ranch, Logan County, Kansas. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 170 pp.
Delisle, Jennifer M. and William H. Busby. 2004. Biological inventory for vertebrates at Fort Larned National Historic Site of the southern plains network. Natural Heritage Inventory, Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 61 pp.
Keathley, Vicki L. 2004. Tactile discrimination in three species of Garter Snake (Thamnophis). Dissertation. University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas. 99 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2004. Kansas Herpetological Society 2004 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (9):2.
Taggart, Travis W. 2004. Results of the 2004 KHS spring field trip to Logan County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (10):2-7.
Taggart, Travis W. 2004. Results of the KHS 2004 fall feld trip . Journal of Kansas Herpetology (12):15-16.
Taggart, Travis W. 2006. Distribution and status of Kansas herpetofauna in need of information. State Wildlife Grant T7. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. vii + 106 pp.
Wilgers, Dustin J., Eva A. Horne, Brett K. Sandercock, and Allan W. Volkmann. 2006. Effects of rangeland management on community dynamics of the herpetofauna of the tallgrass prairie. 62:378-388.
Taggart, Travis W., Joseph T. Collins, and Curtis J. Schmidt. 2007. Estimates of amphibian, reptile, and turtle mortality if Phostoxin is applied to 10,000 acres of prairie dog burrows in Logan County, Kansas. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. 5 pp.
Collins, Joseph T., Suzanne L. Collins, and Travis W. Taggart. 2010. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles of Kansas. Eagle Mountain Publishing., Provo, Utah. 400 pp.
Murrow, Daniel G. 2010. Kansas Herpetological Society spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (33):2-3.
Collins, Joseph T., Suzanne L. Collins, and Travis W. Taggart. 2011. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles of the Cimarron National Grassland, Kansas. Second (Revised) Edition. U. S. Forest Service.
Taggart, Travis W. 2011. Results of the Kansas Herpetological Society 2011 Summer Field Trip to Scott State Park. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (39):2.
Rohweder, Megan R. 2012. Spatial conservation prioritization of Kansas for terrestrial vertebrates. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 151 pp.
Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 2012. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada: Second Edition, Revised and Updated. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 152 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2013. KHS 2012 Summer Field Trip to Meade County State Park. Collinsorum 2(3/4):3.
Mardis, Dexter and Kevin Scott. 2013. 2013 Kansas Herpetofaunal Counts. Collinsorum 2(3/4):7.
Taggart, Travis W. 2014. Results of the 2014 KHS summer field trip to Morton County and adjacent Colorado, New Mexico,
and Oklahoma. Collinsorum 3(2-4):12.
Taggart, Travis W. 2014. Recent scientific and standard English name changes effecting the Kansas herpetofauna. Collinsorum 3(2-4):9-10.
Brown, Kasandra A. 2015. Occupancy Modeling Of Herpetofauna And Grassland Nesting Birds At Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 72 pp.
Houck, Mike. 2015. 2015 Fort Riley Herpetofaunal Count final report. Collinsorum 4(1):10-11.
Taggart, Travis W. 2015. Summer Field Trip In The Harvey County Sandhills. Collinsorum 4(3):3.
Powell, Robert, Roger Conant, and Joseph T. Collins. 2016. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. 494 pp.
Crother, Brian I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Eighth edition. Herpetological Circulars (43):1-102.
Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 2019. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada. Third Edition. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 192 pp.
Riedle, J. Daren. 2019. The truth about snakes. Kansas Wildlife and Parks Magazine July/August:18-21.
Daniel, Richard E. and Brian S. Edmond. 2020. Atlas of Missouri Amphibians and Reptiles for 2019. Privately printed, Columbia, Missouri. 86 pp.
Riedle, J. Daren. 2020. Revisiting Kansas Herpetological Society field trip and Herp Count data:
Distributional patterns and trend data of Kansas amphibians and reptiles. Collinsorum 9(1):7-16.
Riedle, J. Daren, Tamera D. Riedle, Zachary Riedle, and Greya Riedle. 2021. Herp Count: Pratt County: KHS-2020-05. Collinsorum 9(3):12.
Riedle, J. Daren. 2021. Herp Count: Pratt County: KHS-2020-07. Collinsorum 9(3):12.
Taggart, Travis W and Sarah L Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Hamilton County: KHS-2020-10. Collinsorum 9(3):13.
Taggart, Travis W and Sarah L Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Hodgeman County: KHS-2020-09. Collinsorum 9(3):13.
Taggart, Travis W and Sarah L Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Morton County: KHS-2020-12. Collinsorum 9(3):13.
Taggart, Meg, Amelia Jaeger, Jesse J. Taggart, and Travis W. Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Russell County: KHS-2020-22. Collinsorum 9(3):14-15.
Taggart, Megan M. and Travis W. Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Seward County: KHS-2020-27. Collinsorum 9(3):15.
Riedle, J. Daren, Tamera D. Riedle, Zachary Riedle, and Greya Riedle. 2021. Herp Count: Stafford County: KHS-2020-34. Collinsorum 9(3):16.
Riedle, J. Daren. 2021. Herp Count: Barton County: KHS-2020-28. Collinsorum 9(3):16.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2021. Herp Count: Ellis County: KHS-2020-32. Collinsorum 9(3):16.
Hallas, Joshua M., Thomas L. Parchman, and Chris R. Feldman. 2022. Phylogenomic analyses resolve relationships among garter snakes
(Thamnophis: Natricinae: Colubridae) and elucidate biogeographic history
and morphological evolution. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 167(2022):107374.
Nuñez, Leroy P., Levi N Gray, David Weisrock, and Frank T Burbrink. 2023. The phylogenomic and biogeographic history of the Gartersnakes, Watersnakes, and Allies (Natricidae: Thamnophiini). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 186(2023):107844.