Photo courtesy Curtis Miyasaka, Alabama
Copyright (c) 2005 CM

To identify look for a brownish snake with a "Y" or "V"-shaped light mark behind the head, or a brightly colored snake with a white or yellow collar (as shown in this photo) around the neck and black-bordered red bands separated by white or yellow rings that widen on the sides. The scales are smooth and glossy. Its preferred habitat is varied, but includes woodlands, rocky hillsides, grasslands, and suburbs.