Northern Ring-necked Snake

The adult is gray to bluish black above with a flat black head. The neck ring and ventral color varies from yellowish to reddish. The neck ring may be incomplete. The belly is unmarked or has a row of dark, half-moon-shaped spots along its length. The juvenile has a velvety black dorsum and an even blacker head. Most adults are from 10-15 inches (25.4-38 cm) long. This species lays from 2-10 whitish eggs in rotting logs in June or early July. Several clusters may be laid together in a communal nest. The 3 1/2- to 5- inch young hatch in late summer. This species will twist and raise its tail like a corkscrew when approached by certain predators.