It is called a Dekay's snake(Storeia dekayi) non venomous and adults get to about 6-8 inches long. Eats Insects and best of all, it also eats grubs.

Kaylyn, So much of what you posted here is completely false. If this snake were to bite you it would probably not even break the skin. Even if it did this snake is completely harmless (i.e. produces no venom) so you wouldn't get sick even if you let it chew on you. I have kept and bred cornsnakes and have been bitten by dozens of them. Catching a kingsnake and letting it loose under your house or in your yard won't do anything to protect you from other snakes. If there were food and appropriate conditions for a kingsnake in your yard, one would already live there. If you released on there, it would just leave. Saying the only snakes you shouldn't kill are kingsnakes and greensnakes further reinforces the fact that you really know very little about snakes. There are dozens of completely harmless species of snakes in most areas of the country. Kingsnakes are not normally black with white rings. They are only black with white rings in one small part of their range (i.e. the west coast of the US). People don't get mad when you kill snakes because they are scared of them. In fact, just the opposite is true. People kill snakes because they are scared of them. Some people get mad when you kill snakes because killing snakes out of fear and ignorance like this serves no purpose. It doesn't make anyone safer. In fact, trying to kill snakes significantly increases your chances of a bite. People are bitten and hospitalized every year in this country by snakes they were trying to kill. If they had just left them alone, the people would have been unharmed. Lastly, many people come here to learn about snakes so that they won't be afraid and won't need to kill them out of ignorance. When someone posts a question here, they come for information, not old wive's tales. If you are so pathologically afraid of snakes that you need to kill them, I understand. With a bit of education about the realities of snakes, you can dissipate that fear. But spreading fear and misinformation here doesn't contribute to the larger cause.

Its an Eastern Garter Snake. They're harmless and nonvenomous.

Well, now you all have me completely confused but yet totally facinated about snakes. I have read all 22 pages of postings on this forum and it seems that Rat Snakes are by far the most common backyard snakes (and maybe garter snakes which I was already familiar with). So how do you tell the difference between a Black Rat and a Gray Rat and why do you think this is a Black Rat and not an Intergrade Black/Gray. I also saw another snake the other day, about 4 feet long and just solid black, so I am assuming Black Rat Snake (no camera handy). So, although I'm interested in learning more, I don't think I am ready to try to catch one. I know that they have their proper place in our eco-system and I am happy to leave them be outside as long as they aren't dangerous to me or my little dog (my fish and frogs in my fishpond, however, may not be as lucky?) This looks like a very interesting hobby. We also had a snake a couple of years ago that everytime we saw him he would dive into the fishpond. I haven't seen him lately. So, if I see a snake in the yard, like the Rat Snake, is it more likely he lives here or more likely he's just passing through?