What is a black snake with a red ring around its neck?

The southern ringneck snake, sometimes called the Florida ringneck snake, is black with a red ring around its neck. There are other, similar species with orange and yellow bands around their necks.

Characterized by mostly gray or black colouring, the southern ringneck usually has a red, yellow or orange underbelly in addition to the ring around its neck. It is a non-poisonous snake that subsists on earthworms, slugs, small frogs and other garden pests. When handled, these snakes rarely bite, though if startled, they may curl up and coil their tails to show off the bright warning colours of the scales on the underbelly. These snakes are small, usually no more than 10 to 15 inches long.