Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

All information found on this site falls under the INHS's Internet License Agreement.

Purple shade indicates vouchered specimens. Light blue (cyan) shade indicates photographic records. Yellow shade indicates verified sighting. Slanted hatch indicates pre-1980 records only

NOTE: Not all specimens upon which these maps are based have been verified.

Key Characters: Pointed head; spine-like tail tip; smooth dorsal scales; divided anal plate.

Similar Species: Smooth earth snake, brown snake, redbelly snake.

Subspecies: Midwest worm snake, C. a. helenae; western worm snake, C. a. vermis.

Description: A small (up to 35 cm TL) wormlike burrowing snake with a brown back and pink belly. The pink color extends onto the first scale row. The two colors are more sharply contrasting in juveniles.

Habitat: Wooded areas, usually those with rocky soils.

Natural History: Most mating probably occurs in the fall with eggs laid the following June. Clutch size is normally 2-5 eggs and hatching takes place in August or September. Hatchlings range in size from 7 to 12 cm TL. Worm snakes feed almost entirely on earthworms. The main predators are other snakes.

Status: Locally abundant.