It is absent from counties bordering the Mississippi River. A disjunct portion of the range occurs in the southeast. This species is found in about 3/4ths of the state ranging from the northwest diagonally into the central portion of the state. I think this species often gets misidentified as some kind of strange earthworm. Because of its small size and unassuming nature, even people who are fearful of snakes generally find little offense when they see one. There are no immediate threats to the species as a whole. This species is fairly common in Arkansas, even if rarely seen. One may try to burrow through fingers or even poke a handler's hands with its sharp tail. When handled, this species is not known to bite in defense, but will almost certainly expel excrement and a foul-smelling musk. Upon getting flipped over, their bright pink belly acts as a second line of defense a brightly colored symbol of danger (in this case a bluff!).
If one happens to be "turned up" by a predator, their first defense is a small size and dark dorsal coloration. This species is secretive and will never feel completely comfortable exposed. It uses a "grab-and-eat" technique for subduing and swallowing its food. This species burrows through loose soil in search of soft-bodied prey, especially earthworms. The eggs are likely laid sometime in early summer, and hatching in the late summer.
Females retain the sperm and fertilize their eggs in the Spring. This species is thought to mate in the fall. Human encounters usually occur during excavation work, gardening, or when picking up debris. I commonly find this species by lifting boards, rocks, or other debris that is sitting loosely on the ground.ĭue to the preferred habitat of this small snake, it is difficult to study in a natural setting. It is fossorial burrowing in moist soil or under the leaf litter.
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