Northern ring-necked snake

Description:

A small (up to 40 cm TL), wormlike, burrowing snake with a blue-gray to black back. The belly is yellow or orange, possibly scattered with black spots or bands. Juvenile may be darker above than adult. The three subspecies differ in the extent and location of ventral spots: the prairie ringneck has numerous irregularly placed spots, the Mississippi ringneck has paired dark spots down the middle of the belly, and the northern ringneck's belly has a few black dots or is unmarked. (information from Illinois Natural History Survey)

Habitat:

Woodland and marshland mix

Notes:

This snake was found on Snake Road in the Shawnee National Forest.