Smooth Earthsnake
Virginia valeriae
Size
10–12 in
Status
Uncommon
Venomous
No
Region
Southern Indiana
A small, plain, secretive woodland snake that is easy to overlook. Harmless and mild-mannered.
Identification
A small, uniform gray to brown snake with smooth or nearly smooth scales, a plain lighter belly, and sometimes tiny scattered dark specks. It has a small, slightly pointed head. Adults are only about 10 inches.
Habitat & Diet
Lives in wooded hillsides and their edges, staying under rocks, logs, and leaf litter, or just below the surface. It feeds on earthworms and soft-bodied invertebrates.
Conservation in Indiana
Uncommon and hard to survey because of its secretive, burrowing habits. It relies on moist, undisturbed woodland soils.
Similar Species & Taxonomy
This small, plain gray-brown snake with a pointed snout resembles the Wormsnake, Brownsnake, and Red-bellied Snake; its nearly smooth scales, faint or absent markings, and plain belly help separate them. A small earthsnake (family Colubridae; watersnakes and their kin are often split into the family Natricidae) of the genus Virginia, earlier placed in the genus Haldea. Indiana's are the Western Smooth Earthsnake.
United States Range Map Distribution
Distribution in Indiana
