Diadophis punctactus arnyi, also known as the prairie ringneck snake, is a small, thin member of the Colubrid Family. The subspecific name is in honor of Samuel Arny, who collected the type specimen.

Geographic range

This snake is very common and can be found almost anywhere in Midwest North America

Midwestern United States

The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....

, i.e., Iowa, Missouri and northwestern Arkansas to South Dakota, Oklahoma and Texas.

Description

It has a black-grey head, a grey body, and an orange ring around its neck. The ring does not extend toward the underside. The underside is yellow for a third of the body, orange for another third, and red for the last third. The belly also has black flecks along it. This snake has a blunt head, a tiny mouth, and small eyes. Anteriorly the dorsal scales are usually in 17 rows (other eastern subspecies have 15 rows). A mature prairie ringneck grows to about 25-36 cm (10-14 in.) long, record 42 cm (16½ in.).

Diet and behavior

This snake eats insect

Insect

Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...

s, frog

Frog

Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...

s, salamander

Salamander

Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...

s, other snake

Snake

Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...

s, lizard

Lizard

Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...

s, and newborn rodent

Rodent

Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....

s. It uses a weak venom

Venom

Venom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...

 (not harmful to humans) in the saliva

Saliva

Saliva , referred to in various contexts as spit, spittle, drivel, drool, or slobber, is the watery substance produced in the mouths of humans and most other animals. Saliva is a component of oral fluid. In mammals, saliva is produced in and secreted from the three pairs of major salivary glands,...

 in its mouth to immobilize its prey. It also uses constriction

Constriction

Constriction is a method used by various snake species to kill their prey. Although some species of venomous and mildly-venomous snakes do use constriction to subdue their prey, most snakes which use constriction lack venom. The snake initially strikes at its prey and holds on, pulling the prey...

.

When approached, the snake's first intent is to flee. It is usually a slow snake, so it can be caught quickly. When picked up, it tries to escape but rarely bites (although it does happen). It may also twist its brightly colored tail and lie on its back to draw attention away from its head.

Habitats

The prairie ringneck snake (as its name suggests) lives in or near prairie

Prairie

Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...

s and can often be found sunbathing or slithering out in the open. It can also be found under old logs, rocks, pieces of wood and sheets of tin. It likes to live under dead leaves and foliage in the woods, and in grasses in the prairie

Prairie

Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...

.

Reproduction

From June to early August, females lay 1 to 7 eggs (average 4). The eggs are on average 27 mm (1 in.) long by 7 mm (¼ in.) wide. After being laid, the eggs increase in size until hatching. Hatching occurs after about 60 days. The hatchlings are around 100 mm (4 in.) in total length, and resemble adults except with a bluish cast dorsally.

Brumation and estivation

This snake will estivate

Estivation

Aestivation is a state of animal dormancy, characterized by inactivity and a lowered metabolic rate, that is entered in response to high temperatures and arid conditions...

 in the summer if the temperature is to hot and brumate in the winter when it is too cold. This is because the snake is an ectotherm

Ectotherm

An ectotherm, from the Greek εκτός "outside" and θερμός "hot", refers to organisms that control body temperature through external means. As a result, organisms are dependent on environmental heat sources and have relatively low metabolic rates. For example, many reptiles regulate their body...

(that is, cold-blooded) and needs to stay warm enough or cool enough to survive. This is part of the reason why you can see them sunbathing when the temperature is warm.

http://www.californiaherps.com/noncal/misc/miscsnakes/pages/d.p.arny.html (click here for picture)