Western smooth earthsnake
Virginia valeriae elegans
Virginia valeriae elegans
HARMLESS
Description:
Gray to plain brown with a white to yellow belly, this small snake sometimes has a faint stripe down its back. Its scales are smooth and it has a divided anal plate.
Size:
Adults 7 - 10 inches (18 - 25 cm)
Prey:
Earthworms, slugs, snails, and soft-bodied insects.
Reproduction:
Mates in spring and 2 - 12 young are born August to September. Neonates average 3 - 4 inches (8 - 10 cm) in length.
Habitat:
Damp woodlands, wooded urban areas, and rocky, wooded hillsides
Other Information:
Sometimes seen on the surface after a heavy rain. Often found in the same areas as rough earthsnakes, ring-necked snakes, and wormsnakes.
Why doesn't the range map show this species in my county?
Description:
Gray to plain brown with a white to yellow belly, this small snake sometimes has a faint stripe down its back. Its scales are smooth and it has a divided anal plate.
Size:
Adults 7 - 10 inches (18 - 25 cm)
Prey:
Earthworms, slugs, snails, and soft-bodied insects.
Reproduction:
Mates in spring and 2 - 12 young are born August to September. Neonates average 3 - 4 inches (8 - 10 cm) in length.
Habitat:
Damp woodlands, wooded urban areas, and rocky, wooded hillsides
Other Information:
Sometimes seen on the surface after a heavy rain. Often found in the same areas as rough earthsnakes, ring-necked snakes, and wormsnakes.
Why doesn't the range map show this species in my county?