Description: A small black or gray, shiny scaled snake with a yellow ring around its neck. Michigan ring-neck snakes have a plain yellow belly, sometimes with a few black dots down the midline. Adult length: 10 to 24 inches.

Photo © Jim Harding

Habitat and Habits: This snake lives in moist woodlands, usually staying hidden under logs, bark, or other objects. They feed on earthworms, salamanders, and smaller snakes.

Reproduction: Females lay from 1 to 7 eggs in rotting wood or under bark or flat rocks, usually in June. Hatching occurs in late summer.

Range and Status: Ring-necked Snakes have been recorded throughout Michigan, but are generally rare and local. They are common on some of the larger islands in Lake Michigan.

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