Northern Ring-necked Snake

Diadophis punctatus edwardsii — Colubridae

10–15 inches

IUCN

Least Concern

Federal (US)

None

Virginia

None

VWAP Tier

Not Listed

Habitat

terrestrialforestfossorial

Found in Virginia

Statewide

How to identify

Slate gray or black above
Distinct orange or yellow ring encircling the neck
Bright orange, red, or yellow belly
Small size, 10–15 inches
Smooth scales

About this species

A small, secretive snake found under logs, rocks, and leaf litter throughout Virginia, the ring-necked snake is identified by its slate gray body and bright orange or yellow neck ring. Despite being common, they are rarely seen due to their fossorial habits. When threatened, they curl their tail to expose the bright red or orange underside as a warning display.

Often confused with

Eastern Wormsnake

Wormsnakes lack the neck ring, have a plain pink or tan belly, and are more uniformly brown or pink; ring-necked snakes have a bright belly and distinct neck band

Did you know

"Ring-necked snakes curl their tail upward when threatened to flash their brightly colored underside — a behavior called 'unken reflex' that may startle predators or signal toxicity."

Sightings & citizen science

Help document Virginia wildlife by logging your sightings on iNaturalist. Every observation builds the conservation data that researchers and rehabbers depend on.

View Northern Ring-necked Snake observations on iNaturalist ↗

Found one injured?

If you've found an injured or displaced Northern Ring-necked Snake in Virginia, our triage guide walks you through what to do.

Triage guide →