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Ring-necked Snake vs. Smooth Earthsnake

Both are small, plain grey snakes of damp woods, found under the same rocks and logs. A Ring-necked Snake is slate-grey or black and glossy, with a bright yellow or orange ring right around the neck and a yellow to orange belly. A Smooth Earthsnake is plain grey or reddish-brown, often with tiny black dots scattered on the back, and its belly is plain white or cream. A young earthsnake can look darker on the head than the body, but it never has a bright ring.

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Ring-necked Snake

Diadophis punctatus

Smooth Earthsnake

Virginia valeriae
Ring-necked Snake vs. Smooth Earthsnake: comparison sheet with the differences marked

Photographs via iNaturalist under Creative Commons licences; the photographers are credited on the sheet.

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