 Richard Bartlett photos. |
 |
Scientific name: Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata
Description: Average adult size is 8-16 inches (20.3- 40.6 cm). Adults are small, thin, and grayish-brown to black. Top of head not black. Faint striping down the back varies from one broad stripe, to 4 or 5 narrow stripes. There are three light spots on the back of neck. There is a white spot under the eye on the scales of the upper lip. The belly normally is red, but may also be orange or yellow. The scales are keeled, and there are 15 dorsal scale rows at midbody. The pupil is round. Juveniles are grayish with a light band across back of neck.
 Richard Bartlett photo. |
The striping on this specimen is very prominent. |
Northern redbelly snake: Left to right: Top of the head
(notice the large plate-like scales on the top of the head);
underside of the head (chin and throat).
Northern redbelly snake: Left to right: Side of the head;
front (face view) of the head.
Range: In Florida, it is found throughout the panhandle. Outside of Florida, it is found from central Georgia west to eastern Texas and north to Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan, Canada.
Habitat: Moist woodlands on hilly slopes and mountains.
Comments: 
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When captured or frightened, this snake curls its upper lip.
It feeds on small slugs, insects, and earthworms.
It is live-bearing. Up to 23 young, 2.5-4 inches (6.3-10.1 cm) in length, are born from June-September.
Comparison with other species: The marsh brown snake (Storeria dekayi limnetes) has a light band across the back of neck (not head). The Florida brown snake (Storeria dekayi victa) has a dark spot under the eye, and a light band across the back of neck (not head). The midland brown snake (Storeria dekayi wrightorum) has a dark spot under the eye, a light band across the back of neck (not head), and may have dark lines across the back connecting the black spots along the mid-dorsal stripe. The southern ringsneck snake (Diadophis punctatus punctatus) is solid grayish-black, with a complete neck ring and black spotted yellow-orange belly.
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