Species

Ring-necked snake

Diadophis punctatus

A small, slate-grey snake with a golden collar and a bright belly it flashes when disturbed.

Photo Greg Schechter (opens in a new tab) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab)

At a glance

Size: Usually 25 to 40 cm long
Habitat: Moist woods, rocky hillsides and gardens
Diet: Salamanders, earthworms, slugs and small snakes
In Georgia: Common statewide
Venomous: No
Rabies vector: No

Identification

Key marks: Smooth, dark grey to black; yellow or orange ring around the neck; yellow to red belly
Told apart from: Red-bellied snake, which has no collar
Where to look: Under logs, bark and stones in damp woods

Behaviour

When threatened a ring-necked snake coils its tail to show the bright underside and may release musk. It hunts at night and in damp weather, and small groups sometimes shelter together.

Why they matter

It is one of the most numerous snakes in the eastern woods and a major predator of salamanders and worms, and food for birds and larger snakes.

Reproduction and lifecycle

Eggs — Usually 2 to 7
Nest — Under logs and stones, sometimes shared
Incubation — About 6 to 8 weeks
Hatchlings — Miniatures of the adults
Maturity — In two to three years
Lifespan — Over 10 years

Living around people

It is harmless; leave it under its cover.

Misconceptions

Brightly coloured snakes are venomous. The ring-necked snake's colours are a bluff.

Related species

Seasonal activity

When this species is breeding, and when there are nests on the ground. Mowing during the shaded months is how most nests are found.

Breeding and active nests by month for this species
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Breeding	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Active nests	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Notes	Sheltering	Sheltering	Emerging	Mating	Active	Laying	Active	Hatching	Mating	Active	Sheltering	Sheltering

Where it lives

Recorded in 64 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.

Canada

Mexico

If you found one

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