Ring-necked Snake
Diadophis punctatus
Reptilia
COMMON
Stats
- Lifespan
- 10-20 yrs
- Size
- Small
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Activity
- Nocturnal
- Social
- Solitary
- Biome
- Temperate forest
- Range
- North America
- Movement
- Slithering
- Breeding
- Egg-laying
- Defense
- Warning Colors
- Status
- Common
About
The ring-necked snake is a small, secretive colubrid found throughout much of the United States, central Mexico, and southeastern Canada, easily identified by the bright yellow-to-orange ring around its neck. When threatened, it curls its tail into a tight coil to flash the vivid red-orange underside as a warning.
Life cycle
- 1.hatchlingA miniature snake emerges from the egg or from its mother (live-bearers), already venomous or strong-coiled in some species.
- 2.juvenileA juvenile sheds its skin, grows quickly, and hunts smaller prey than the adults.
- 3.adultFully grown at adult length and pattern.
Learn more
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Colubridae
- Genus
- Diadophis
- Species
- Diadophis punctatus