May 2007 - Volume 68, Issue 5
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Tiny Snakes continued...
Midland Brown Snake
Storeria dekayi wrightorum
Length: 9 to 13 inches
The midland brown snake is one of several of Missouri’s tiny snakes related to garter snakes and water snakes.
They are a gray-brown to reddish-brown snake with two rows of small, dark brown spots along the back. These spots are usually joined by small, dark brown lines across a tan stripe. Their belly is white or yellowish and has no markings.
This species prefers moist woodlands, where they take shelter under logs or rocks. Brown snakes eat mostly earthworms, but they also consume slugs, land snails and some soft-bodied insects.
Like garter snakes, brown snakes give birth to live young during late summer. Midland brown snakes can be found throughout most of Missouri. In the western third of the state, however, the Texas brown snake (Storeria dekayi texana) is more common.
Lined Snake
Tropidoclonion lineatum
Length: 8 to 15 inches
Another relative of garter snakes, lined snakes are brown to grayish-brown with a lighter color stripe down the middle of the back and another light line along each side. The belly is white with two rows of black markings shaped like half moons.
This reclusive species can be found in open woodlands and prairies or on rocky hillsides. They take shelter under flat rocks or other objects on the ground. Earthworms are their main prey. From two to 12 young are born during July and August. This species occurs in east central, northeast and west Missouri and in a small part of central Missouri.
Prairie Ring-necked Snake
Diadophis punctatus arnyi
Length: 10 to 14 inches
This species of snake is common in Missouri and is easily identified. Just look for a yellow to yellowish-orange ring around its neck, just behind the head. The back and sides can be dark gray, dark brown or blue-black. The belly is yellow with small, black spots, and changes to orange at the tail.
Ring-necked snakes eat mostly earthworms, but they will occasionally eat soft-bodied insects and small salamanders. The eggs of ring-necked snakes hatch in late summer.
Ring-necked snakes can be found anywhere there is an abundance of flat rocks, boards or other objects on the ground where they can find shelter. This species occurs throughout Missouri. A subspecies, the Mississippi ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus stictogenys), lives in the southeast corner of the state.
About This Article
Author and Photographer
TOM R. JOHNSON retired as state herpetologist
with the department of Conservation in 2000.
He grew up in Wisconsin, earned his biology
degree from the University of Wisconsin—Stevens
Point in 1970, and came to the department
after seven years in the zoo field. tom is the author
of The Amphibians and Reptiles of Missouri.
He now lives on a small farm in the Ozarks.
