Ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus)
The ring-necked snake is a non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. GBIF holds 13,988 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 45 states, most of all Kansas (2,711), California (1,797) and North Carolina (1,305). Its observation records peak in May.
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.
From Wikipedia: Ring-necked snake, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the ring-necked snake poisonous or venomous?
No. The ring-necked snake is non-venomous: it belongs to the family Colubridae, not to the pit vipers or coral snakes, the only U.S. land snakes with medically dangerous venom. It may bite if handled; clean the bite like any small wound.
Which states have the ring-necked snake?
Records are spread over 45 states; the top three, Kansas, California and North Carolina, hold 42% of them. It is the most recorded snake of all in Kansas, Tennessee, Missouri and Mississippi.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas | 2,711 | 18.4% | 1st of 44 |
| 2 | California | 1,797 | 2.4% | 9th of 46 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 1,305 | 6.3% | 4th of 39 |
| 4 | Virginia | 1,015 | 9.3% | 4th of 30 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 932 | 11.0% | 2nd of 20 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 869 | 6.5% | 3rd of 50 |
| 7 | Florida | 472 | 2.3% | 7th of 49 |
| 8 | Texas | 452 | 1.1% | 26th of 86 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 347 | 13.2% | 1st of 32 |
| 10 | Georgia | 310 | 5.0% | 2nd of 44 |
| 11 | New York | 276 | 4.6% | 5th of 17 |
| 12 | Maryland | 257 | 7.1% | 5th of 20 |
| 13 | Alabama | 247 | 4.3% | 5th of 44 |
| 14 | Missouri | 244 | 13.0% | 1st of 36 |
| 15 | Nebraska | 242 | 10.3% | 3rd of 31 |
| 16 | Arkansas | 212 | 4.0% | 3rd of 36 |
| 17 | Mississippi | 205 | 11.1% | 1st of 38 |
| 18 | West Virginia | 200 | 12.2% | 3rd of 18 |
| 19 | Arizona | 196 | 0.9% | 26th of 60 |
| 20 | Ohio | 194 | 3.2% | 7th of 25 |
| 21 | Michigan | 180 | 3.5% | 10th of 17 |
| 22 | South Carolina | 179 | 4.9% | 5th of 40 |
| 23 | Kentucky | 137 | 10.7% | 2nd of 24 |
| 24 | Connecticut | 124 | 10.7% | 3rd of 14 |
| 25 | Indiana | 94 | 4.3% | 8th of 27 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | 93 | 4.7% | 4th of 13 |
| 27 | Illinois | 87 | 3.1% | 7th of 33 |
| 28 | South Dakota | 84 | 2.6% | 9th of 16 |
| 29 | Oregon | 82 | 1.1% | 9th of 16 |
| 30 | Louisiana | 80 | 1.6% | 18th of 41 |
| 31 | New Mexico | 76 | 1.2% | 16th of 56 |
| 32 | Maine | 46 | 5.3% | 5th of 9 |
| 33 | New Jersey | 39 | 3.5% | 9th of 18 |
| 34 | Iowa | 30 | 2.8% | 11th of 22 |
| 35 | Delaware | 29 | 4.3% | 6th of 14 |
| 36 | Minnesota | 25 | 2.7% | 6th of 15 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | 25 | 4.3% | 6th of 9 |
| 38 | Vermont | 22 | 1.9% | 4th of 9 |
| 39 | Utah | 21 | 0.6% | 14th of 28 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | 14 | 7.0% | 4th of 10 |
| 41 | Colorado | 10 | 0.3% | 19th of 26 |
| 42 | Nevada | 10 | 0.2% | 26th of 27 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | 8 | 0.8% | 14th of 16 |
| 44 | Washington | 5 | 0.1% | 10th of 11 |
| 45 | Idaho | 4 | 0.3% | 11th of 11 |
When is the ring-necked snake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the ring-necked snake run mostly March through October, peaking in May with 19% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 5% of them.
Season by state
Observation records run through most of the year in Florida. Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in February (Alabama, California, Louisiana and Tennessee) and latest in May (Connecticut and West Virginia). The most common peak month is April, shared by Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas and 5 more.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | February through October | April | 529 |
| Tennessee | February through October | March | 244 |
| Florida | most of the year | April | 240 |
| Virginia | April through September | May | 177 |
| North Carolina | April through October | June | 167 |
| Kansas | April through October | April | 160 |
| Maryland | April through September | May | 122 |
| New York | April through September | August | 117 |
| Pennsylvania | April through September | May | 117 |
| Missouri | March through October | April | 88 |
| Massachusetts | April through August | May | 80 |
| Arkansas | March through September | April | 77 |
| Georgia | March through October | April | 76 |
| Kentucky | April through October | April | 60 |
| Ohio | April through August | May | 52 |
| Texas | March through October | April | 48 |
| Nebraska | April through October | April | 46 |
| Indiana | April through September | May | 45 |
| Alabama | February through September | March | 43 |
| Connecticut | May through September | May | 41 |
| Oklahoma | March through October | June | 35 |
| Illinois | March through October | April | 33 |
| Louisiana | February through July | April | 33 |
| West Virginia | May through September | June | 33 |
Where the ring-necked snake is recorded in each state
Kansas
Kansas holds 2,711 licensed records, the most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Kansas run mostly April through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Cowley County, Riley County and Johnson County. Next come Anderson County (100) and Cherokee County (98).
California
California holds 1,797 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 46 snakes listed there. Its observation records in California run mostly February through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from San Diego County, Santa Clara County and San Mateo County. Next come Los Angeles County (150) and Sonoma County (123).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 1,305 licensed records, the 4th most recorded of 39 snakes listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly April through October, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Macon County, Watauga County and Clay County. Next come Wake County (64) and Jackson County (57).
Virginia
Virginia holds 1,015 licensed records, the 4th most recorded of 30 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly April through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Augusta County, Highland County and Rockingham County. Next come Fairfax County (53) and Prince William County (37).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 932 licensed records, the 2nd most recorded of 20 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly April through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Warren County, Westmoreland County and Potter County. Next come Allegheny County (40) and Monroe County (39).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 869 licensed records, the 3rd most recorded of 50 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Oklahoma run mostly March through October, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Logan County, Rogers County and Tulsa County. Next come Comanche County (65) and LeFlore County (45).
Florida
Florida holds 472 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 49 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Florida run through most of the year, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Miami-Dade County, Alachua County and Lee County. Next come Broward County (29) and Orange County (27).
Texas
Texas holds 452 licensed records, the 26th most recorded of 86 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Hutchinson County, Brewster County and Culberson County. Next come Briscoe County (16) and Menard County (15).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 347 licensed records, the most recorded of 32 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly February through October, peaking in March; most licensed records come from Cheatham County, Montgomery County and Blount County. Next come Monroe County (19) and Sevier County (15).
Georgia
Georgia holds 310 licensed records, the 2nd most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Georgia run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Rabun County, Union County and Clarke County. Next come Cobb County (16) and Chatham County (10).
New York
New York holds 276 licensed records, the 5th most recorded of 17 snakes listed there. Its observation records in New York run mostly April through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Tompkins County, Ulster County and Orange County. Next come Chemung County (16) and Cattaraugus County (13).
Maryland
Maryland holds 257 licensed records, the 5th most recorded of 20 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly April through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Montgomery County, Garrett County and Prince George's County. Next come Frederick County (31) and Baltimore County (17).
Alabama
Alabama holds 247 licensed records, the 5th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Alabama run mostly February through September, peaking in March; most licensed records come from Lee County, Jefferson County and Macon County. Next come Tuscaloosa County (12) and Jackson County (11).
Missouri
Missouri holds 244 licensed records, the most recorded of 36 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Missouri run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Boone County, Jefferson County and Lincoln County. Next come Pike County (17) and Iron County (12).
Nebraska
Nebraska holds 242 licensed records, the 3rd most recorded of 31 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Nebraska run mostly April through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Gage County, Cass County and Sarpy County. Next come Thayer County (20) and Otoe County (11).
Arkansas
Arkansas holds 212 licensed records, the 3rd most recorded of 36 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Arkansas run mostly March through September, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Polk County, Montgomery County and Washington County. Next come Logan County (11) and Benton County (11).
Mississippi
Mississippi holds 205 licensed records, the most recorded of 38 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Mississippi come from Hancock County, Harrison County and Lafayette County. Next come Tishomingo County (7) and Noxubee County (4).
West Virginia
West Virginia holds 200 licensed records, the 3rd most recorded of 18 snakes listed there. Its observation records in West Virginia run mostly May through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Pendleton County, Pocahontas County and Randolph County. Next come Nicholas County (9) and Preston County (9).
Arizona
Arizona holds 196 licensed records, the 26th most recorded of 60 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Arizona come from Cochise County, Santa Cruz County and Pima County. Next come Yavapai County (10) and Pinal County (8).
Ohio
Ohio holds 194 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 25 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly April through August, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Scioto County, Hocking County and Summit County. Next come Lawrence County (8) and Vinton County (7).
Michigan
Michigan holds 180 licensed records, the 10th most recorded of 17 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Michigan come from Cheboygan County, Charlevoix County and Leelanau County. Next come Gogebic County (13) and Marquette County (13).
South Carolina
South Carolina holds 179 licensed records, the joint 5th most recorded of 40 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in South Carolina come from Charleston County, Berkeley County and Oconee County. Next come Jasper County (15) and Georgetown County (11).
Kentucky
Kentucky holds 137 licensed records, the 2nd most recorded of 24 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Kentucky run mostly April through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Harlan County, Bell County and Trigg County. Next come Lincoln County (7) and Madison County (7).
Connecticut
Connecticut holds 124 licensed records, the 3rd most recorded of 14 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Connecticut run mostly May through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from New Haven County, Fairfield County and Middlesex County. Next come Tolland County (13) and New London County (6).
Indiana
Indiana holds 94 licensed records, the 8th most recorded of 27 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Indiana run mostly April through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Monroe County, Brown County and Morgan County. Next come Parke County (8) and Owen County (7).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cowley County | Kansas | 733 | 5.2% |
| 2 | San Diego County | California | 244 | 1.7% |
| 3 | Santa Clara County | California | 166 | 1.2% |
| 4 | San Mateo County | California | 165 | 1.2% |
| 5 | Los Angeles County | California | 150 | 1.1% |
| 6 | Macon County | North Carolina | 144 | 1.0% |
| 7 | Hancock County | Mississippi | 129 | 0.9% |
| 8 | Sonoma County | California | 123 | 0.9% |
| 9 | Augusta County | Virginia | 122 | 0.9% |
| 10 | Contra Costa County | California | 113 | 0.8% |
| 11 | Gage County | Nebraska | 110 | 0.8% |
| 12 | Alameda County | California | 109 | 0.8% |
| 13 | Riley County | Kansas | 108 | 0.8% |
| 14 | Johnson County | Kansas | 107 | 0.8% |
| 15 | Logan County | Oklahoma | 102 | 0.7% |
How recent are the ring-necked snake records?
The ring-necked snake record leans on older material: only 21% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1976. The oldest dated record is from 1853; the busiest year was 1941, with 670 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 8 | 0.1% |
| 1860s | 7 | 0.1% |
| 1870s | 10 | 0.1% |
| 1880s | 6 | 0.0% |
| 1890s | 38 | 0.3% |
| 1900s | 114 | 0.8% |
| 1910s | 114 | 0.8% |
| 1920s | 352 | 2.6% |
| 1930s | 1,057 | 7.8% |
| 1940s | 1,561 | 11.5% |
| 1950s | 998 | 7.4% |
| 1960s | 1,632 | 12.0% |
| 1970s | 1,308 | 9.6% |
| 1980s | 1,442 | 10.6% |
| 1990s | 592 | 4.4% |
| 2000s | 955 | 7.0% |
| 2010s | 906 | 6.7% |
| 2020s | 2,478 | 18.3% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 490 counties where the ring-necked snake is most recorded, 246 are also top counties for the common garter snake, more than for any other snake. Venomous species among its neighbors: the eastern copperhead.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Common garter snake | 246 |
| Eastern racer | 218 |
| Northern water snake | 187 |
| DeKay's brown snake | 173 |
| Eastern milksnake | 160 |
| Eastern copperhead venomous | 155 |
| Eastern rat snake | 152 |
| Eastern wormsnake | 134 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Colubridae with profiles here: Western terrestrial garter snake, Common garter snake, Gopher snake, Northern water snake, Eastern racer and DeKay's brown snake.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.