As the name implies, these little snakes have a ring around the neck that is yellow or yellowish orange. Ring-necked snakes occur throughout Ohio except for the west-central and extreme northwest counties. They prefer rocky, wooded hillsides and cutover wooded areas such as those in southeastern Ohio, where they abound. Ring-necked snakes are basically nocturnal and spend most of the day concealed beneath logs, stones, boards, and similar objects. Unlike most egg laying snakes, ring-necked snakes tend to deposit their eggs in a community nest, frequently in rotted logs exposed to the sun. When routed from a hiding place, ring-necked snakes usually seek cover under the nearest available object. They are normally mild-tempered when first caught, but discharge a pungent substance from their musk glands and wiggle violently to escape. LENGTH: 10”–16”
Text courtesy of the Ohio Division of Wildlife: https://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/portals/wildlife/pdfs/publications/id%20guides/pub354_Reptiles-opt.pdf
