Southern Crowned Snake (Tantilla coronata)

At a disturbed forest edge, near a wood pile.

Not only is this species rarely recorded for my area/county, but it is not often seen at all due to its secretive nature! It primarily feeds on insect larvae, spiders, and particularly centipedes.

This species is protected in the state of Georgia.

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Flown Kimmerling

Lion

Today's Facebook post:

"The Southeastern Crowned Snake (Tantilla coronata) is a Colubrid snake found in the southeastern United states. Its range extends from North Carolina to Louisiana (with some isolated populations within Kentucky).
It is a fossorial (or ground-dwelling) snake which is very rarely seen due to its secretive nature. It is typically found in leaf litter and ground debris, under rotting logs and stumps, and under rocks on woodland ridges and hillsides. These locations are unsurprising as the Southeastern Crowned Snake primarily feeds on soft-bodied invertebrates like termites, spiders, snails, and centipedes.
Another interesting feature of the Southeastern Crowned Snake is that it is rather minute, ranging between 13 and 25 cm in length. As a result, it can be more vulnerable to predation.
While it is technically venomous (having small venom glands and rear fangs which are thought to be utilized in injecting venom into invertebrate prey), it is no threat to humans and is not known to bite when handled." Posted 4 years ago