Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus)

Dark above and with a yellow, orange, or cream collar (sometimes broken), there are two subspecies of Ring-necked Snakes in North Carolina. Roughly speaking, the southern subspecies (Diadophis punctatus punctatus) is found in the coastal plain and eastern half of the piedmont, and the northern subspecies (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii) is found in the mountains. Ringneck Snakes in the western half of the piedmont tend to be intergrades between the two subspecies.

Prominent dark spots along the center of the light belly are most commonly found on the "Southern" Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus punctatus).

When snakes are about to shed their skin, their eyes turn milky.