Brian,
Thanks a million for weighing in. As you saw, my comments are coming from field guides, so I totally defer to your experience. Don (ssssnakeluvr) and I think Roy (GarterGuy) also said that at least some of our snakes are probably
T. ordinoides. It's nice to get those second and third opinions, though. Interestingly, some of my blue garters also show contrasting characteristics. Perhaps more than one of us were shipped separate species of different sexes. Conspiracy theories abound
. Cheers,
Rick