Ringneck Snake

Diadophis punctatus, commonly known as the ring-necked snake or ringneck snake, is a small, harmless species of colubrid snake found throughout much of the United States, as well as south in Central Mexico and as far north as Nova Scotia, Canada. Ring-necked snakes are generally fossorial and somewhat secretive, by nature, and, as a nocturnal species, are rarely seen during the daytime. These snakes are believed to be fairly abundant throughout most of their range, though no scientific evaluation supports this hypothesis. Scientific research is lacking for the species, despite their apparently common status, and more in-depth investigations are greatly needed. It is the only species within the genus Diadophis and, currently, 14 subspecies are identified, though many herpetologists question the morphologically based classifications. The ring-necked snake is perhaps best known for its unique defensive posture: when threatened, it curls its tail into a tight coil, partially rolls onto its back, and shows its bright red-orange underside and ventral surface. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Ringneck Snake sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 199 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.