Pine Woods Littersnake or similar small earthsnake/swampsnake
Haldea striatula • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Dipsadidae, Subfamily: Dipsadinae, Genus: Haldea, Species: Haldea striatula
Southeastern United States, ranging from coastal Virginia south to Florida and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma.
Look up Pine Woods Littersnake or similar small earthsnake/swampsnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Dipsadidae, Subfamily: Dipsadinae, Genus: Haldea, Species: Haldea striatula
Conservation
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, as it has a wide distribution and tolerates some habitat modification, though local populations can be affected by intensive urban development.
Physical Description
Uniform dark gray-brown to reddish-brown dorsal coloration with a pale yellowish-white or pinkish belly. Head is slightly distinct from the neck with a pointed snout and pale yellowish/orange collar mark visible near the rear of the head. Scales are keeled.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen shown is a juvenile or very small individual, approximately 5 inches (13 cm) long. Adults typically reach lengths of 7 to 10 inches (18 to 25 cm), with a maximum recorded length of around 13 inches.
Habitat
Found in damp woodlands, pine flatwoods, urban gardens, and edges of wetlands, typically sheltering beneath leaf litter, logs, bark, or flat stones.
Diet & Feeding
Feeds primarily on earthworms, soft-bodied insect larvae, and slugs, using an active foraging strategy in moist substrate and leaf litter.
Reproduction
Viviparous (giving birth to live young). Mating occurs in spring, and females typically give birth to a litter of 3 to 8 young in late summer.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with the Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) and the Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi), which share similar small sizes and secretive habits but often feature dorsal striping or distinct neck spots.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern, as it has a wide distribution and tolerates some habitat modification, though local populations can be affected by intensive urban development.
Cultural Significance
Acts as an important natural predator of earthworms and garden invertebrates, playing a quiet role in soil ecology and nutrient cycling.
Notable Features
Highly secretive and fossorial habits mean they are rarely seen unless uncovered by raking or heavy rain; specialized for subterranean movement with a narrow head and rigid body structure.
Notes
Inlet beach Florida. 3pm. Very small like 5 inches