Common Eastern Snakes
Solon Morse
Ringneck Snake Diadophis punctatus
Northern Ringneck Snake © Solon Morse
Ringnecks are common throughout the eastern US, often showing up in houses in the spring and fall. Ringnecks are beautiful, harmless little snakes that rarely get much larger than about 10-14" in length. Key features are a dark back, a pale neck ring, and a yellow or orange belly. Ringnecks rarely attempt to bite when handled, but will often void feces and a strong-smelling musk. They eat salamanders, lizards, earthworms and frogs and are often common in wooded areas.
Northern Ringneck Snake © Solon Morse
Description: Ringnecks are shiny dark gray, brown, olive or almost black dorsally with a pale yellow or orangish ring just behind the head. The top of the head is typically darker than the body, forming a dark "cap". The pale neck ring is often bordered with dark pigment. The belly is yellow or orange, sometimes turning bright red toward the tip of the tail. Sometimes they have dark spots scattered irregularily or arranged in rows on the belly. The scales are smooth, giving the snake a shiny appearance. The anal scale is divided. Young ringnecks are typically darker — almost black — than adults.
Prairie ringneck Snake © Solon Morse
There are several subspecies of ringneck in the US. The Northern Ringneck (D. p. edwardsii) typically has an unbroken neck ring and a solid yellow or orange-yellow belly and no or few spots on the belly. The Prairie Ringneck (D. p. arnyi) typically has an unbroken neck ring, a yellow or orange-yellow belly becoming reddish toward the tail tip and lots of irregular spots on the belly. The Southern Ringneck (D. p. punctatus) typically has an broken neck ring (interrupted by dark pigment on top), a yellow or orange-yellow belly becoming reddish toward the tail tip and large, halfmoon-shaped spots on the belly arranged in a single central row. The Mississippi Ringneck (D. p. stictogenys) typically has an broken neck ring (interrupted by dark pigment on top), a yellow or orange-yellow belly becoming reddish toward the tail tip and halfmoon-shaped spots on the belly arranged in a double row.
Adults usually range in size from 6-14 inches in length. The record Northern Ringneck was just under 28 inches, and the Regal Ringneck (a southwestern species) often grows bigger than 19 inches.
Brown Snake Storeria dekayi
Northern Brown Snake © Solon Morse
One of the most common snakes encountered in back yards throughout the eastern United States, Brown Snakes never get very big, growing only up to 13 inches or so in length. Key features are a brown to gray coloration overall, two rows spots bordering a light stripe down the back, and a pale unmarked belly. Although harmless, an alarmed Brown Snakes will often flatten its body and pull its upper neck into an S-shaped curve, and will sometimes strike, usually with its mouth closed. If handled these snakes wriggle violently and will often void feces and a strong-smelling musk. Brown Snakes are secretive and harmless, eating mostly earthworms, slugs and other soft-bodied invertebrates. They are found in a variety of habitats, but typically inhabit moist areas with lots of ground cover.
Northern Brown Snake © Solon Morse
Description Brown Snakes vary in color from brown, grayish-brown or tan. They typically have two rows of dark spots down either side of the back. Often the color on the back between the rows of spots is lighter than the color on the sides, forming a light brown or beige stripe down the middle of the back. They usually exhibit a dark spot or downward streak on the side of the head behind the eye, a dark spot below the eye and a dark blotch on each side of the neck. The belly is cream-colored and otherwise unmarked. Adults are 9-13 inches in length. although the record length is around 19 inches.
There are several subspecies of Brown Snake in the US. The Northern Brown Snake (S. d. dekayi) has mostly unjoined pairs of dorsal black spots. The Midland Brown Snake (S. d. wrightorum) has many pairs of dorsal black spots that are connected with a thin brown line across the back. Texas Brown Snake (S. d. texana). Marsh Brown Snake (S. d. limnetes) Florida Brown Snake (S. d. victa).
Redbelly Snake
Northern Redbelly Snake © Solon Morse
Redbelly snakes are common in wooded areas throughout the east. Besides the gray or brown back and red belly, they usually have three pale spots on the nape of the neck (these may be fused into a single spot) and indications of stripes on the back and upper sides. They are extremely variable in coloration and pattern, and it wouldn't be surprising to find a specimen that had a plain brown back. Redbelly snakes are small predators of invertebrates, and are entirely harmless. In fact, as one of many insect predators in your back yard, they probably contribute to controlling insect populations.
Northern Redbelly Snake © Solon Morse
Northern Redbelly Snake © Solon Morse
Northern Redbelly Snakes © Solon Morse
Northern Redbelly Snakes © Solon Morse