Green Whip Snake

Fascinating facts about the Green Whip Snake

• A single adult can grow to about 150 cm (60 in) long, and the rare ‘Il Biacco’ variant in Italy and Malta can reach up to two metres (6.5 ft).
• In the northern Italian contact zone, the snake has a melanic form in the east and a striped green-yellow form in the west.
• Juveniles are greyish and develop the adult’s green-yellow and dark bands by about their fourth year.
• A clutch contains four to fifteen eggs, and the snakes hibernate during the winter.
• Scientists have identified rear fangs associated with a Duvernoy’s gland, and a sustained five-minute bite has been reported to cause neuromotor symptoms.

At a glance

About the Green Whip Snake

The green whip snake, Hierophis viridiflavus, is a sleek colubrid that measures up to about 150 cm (60 in) in length, with some individuals in Italy and Malta reaching a striking two metres. Its head is modest yet well defined, crowned by prominent eyes with circular pupils, and its body is covered in smooth scales. Though its base hue is a greenish-yellow, the snake is cloaked in irregular dark green or black bands that dominate the front half, while the underparts range from grey to yellowish and the tail bears narrow longitudinal stripes. Juveniles start out greyish, only acquiring the full adult coloration by roughly their fourth year, and in the northeastern reaches of its range, Sicily and southern Italy, many become almost entirely black, a melanic form known locally as “Il Biacco.” A true generalist, this species thrives in a mosaic of habitats: temperate forests, shrublands, Mediterranean scrub, arable fields, pastures, plantations, rural gardens, and even urban settings across Andorra, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and possibly Luxembourg. It preys on lizards, skinks, frogs, mice, and the eggs and chicks of small birds, while females lay clutches of four to fifteen eggs before hibernating through winter. Though commonly deemed non-venomous, recent studies have revealed rear-maxillary fangs linked to a Duvernoy’s gland that produces toxins, a surprising trait that can cause neuromotor symptoms after prolonged biting.

More reptiles to discover

Browse Feravox