A few others, however, have flattened themselves out like a ribbon. This stretches the scales and the underlying skin color may produce white dashes on the sides. Rarely they strike viciously and musk, but their bite is harmless and painless. They breed in spring and give birth to 3-20 living young at a time. They are about four inches at birth and are nearly black with dark spots and a light collar around the neck.
Brown snakes hibernate in rock crevices, road embankments, and in bridges.
Large numbers of brown snakes can be seen crossing roads while migrating to their hibernaculums in October. Food Brown snakes eat earthworms, slugs, snails, soft-bodied insects and larger specimens will eat frogs and tadpoles.