Characteristics:
    A large snake capable of obtaining 5ft in length. Plain black to blueish-black in coloration with no pattern as an adult. Juveniles are clearly marked with blotches that fade with age. Back scales are smooth and shiny. Belly is yellowish, white, or gray. The eyes of this snake are noticeably large, giving it a unique look apart from other dark snakes in the area.

*Note: 3 subspecies exist in this area. blue racer (C. c. foxii), southern black racer (C. c. priapus), and , in MO, the eastern yellow-bellied racer (C. c. flaviventris).


Habitat:
   Racers can be found in a variety of habitats. Fields, open woods, prairie remnants, and river bluffs are all habitats the racers are commonly sighted in.


Behavior:
    A large, very alert, diurnal snake. The racers have great eye sight and will even raise their head up to gain a better look at their surroundings. When startled, the racer shows off why it is called a "racer". This is a very fast moving snake, and can dissappear extremely quickly into tall grass. The racers mate in early summer and lay eggs a few weeks later. The racers feed on a variety of animals including small rodents, arthropods, birds, and amphibians, but they seem to have a prefrence for lizards.


Personal Remarks:
    The racer is a strong contender for my favorite snake. These guys are always a blast to find. They are so alert and agile that they are always a challenge to catch, and if caught they are full of teeth and are not afraid to use them. The river bluffs in southern IL have a good population of these guys and even though it is not uncommon to see them, they are still one of the most exciting finds.
    There is one occasion in particular that really made me fall in love with this snake. It was in MO in a small patch of glades and we were watching a fence lizard climbing on a tree. I slowly closed in to try and catch it for some photos and just as I was about to grab it, I looked down and there was a racer right there looking at me. He was stalking the same lizard as I was and looked just as surprised to see me as I was to see him. He really quickly disappeared into a small hloe near the base of the tree and I could not get him. We decided to come back to that spot later and see if he was back out.    
    About 2 hours later we came back and saw the same racer basking on a fallen tree. "I've got him!", I thought. I approached him, and he shot off for the hole he went in before. This time I was ready. I got there before him and stuck my foot in the hole and keep him from going in. When he saw that he literally opened his mouth at me as if to say "Oh no you didn't!". We caught him, took some pictures and let him go, but this snake stuck with me in my memories. The attitude it had really gave it a personality that is more than I usually see in snakes.