Worm Snake (Carphophis amoenus)

Description: A small fossorial snake reaching up to 33.5 cm (13 in). Dorsal coloration ranges from light to dark brown, with smooth, shiny scales and very small eyes. The venter is pink to whitish, and the belly color often extends slightly onto the sides. The tail ends in a sharp, pointed tip. Juveniles resemble adults in appearance.

Range and Habitat: Found across the eastern United States, from southern New England south to central Georgia and west to the Mississippi River. Replaced farther west by the Western Worm Snake (C. vermis). Most abundant in the Piedmont, but also occurs in the mountains and parts of the Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Absent from most of the Georgia Coastal Plain. Prefers forested habitats, especially deciduous woodlands, and is often associated with rotting logs, loose soil, leaf litter, and rocks. In the Coastal Plain, it is more common in forests adjacent to wetlands and cypress swamps.

Habits: Among the most fossorial snakes in the Southeast, rarely seen above ground. Typically encountered beneath logs, rocks, or leaf litter. Feeds almost exclusively on earthworms. Breeding likely occurs in fall and spring; females lay clutches of up to 12 eggs in early summer. When captured, individuals may press their pointed tail tip against the captor, though they are harmless to humans. Worm snakes are preyed upon by birds, mammals, and larger snakes.

Conservation Status: Common throughout much of its range and not protected in most states. In Georgia, however, the species is legally protected.