Joann Merritt's Essays

Snakes Alive
September, 1989

In the springtime Don found a Texas Blind Snake crawling on the garage floor. This snake could easily be mistaken for a worm because of its pinkish color and small size. There are small overlapping scales around its 5 - 15" long body. Blind Snakes live in crevices and underground, sometimes emerging in the late evening following summer rains. It can burrow quickly into soft soil or sand where it feeds on termites and ants. Two to seven eggs are laid in late June to July and it may share a communal nesting site. In the United States there are only two species of these small relatives of the Boas, both found in the southwest.

On a good-for-what-ails-you walk early one morning, Don and daughter Virginia found another unusual snake. This one had a dark gray body, orange underside with random black spots and an orange neck ring. I never thought I would say such a thing, but this was a beautiful snake. We are beginning to share John and Allen’s interest in these creatures. The four of us present (all amateurs) quickly identified it as a Prairie Ring Neck Snake, even though it wasn’t listed for Midland County. The snake was approximately 1/8th inch in diameter and 8 to 10 inches long. We placed it in a container with holes slightly smaller than the snake, but before Donna got here it had found its way to freedom - in our garage!

Captive snakes that have been released have been found no more than 400' from the release site so perhaps we will find our snake again. The usual adult length is 10-14" with maximum recorded size 16 1/2". One to ten eggs are laid June to July in communal nesting sites. Prairie Ring Neck Snakes partially constrict their prey which includes worms and small insects, also newborn snakes, lizards and salamanders.

Burr says this attractive Prairie Ring Neck Snake lives under a sylvan canopy and that sure sounds better than saying Don & Virginia found a snake crawling across the road toward a thick stand of mesquite, so I’m glad he said that! With all these snakes in our garage I wonder how many Midnats will change to our front door to be greeted by the cheery red cardinals on our door mat instead of our garage entrance where the welcome mat clearly states “Backdoor Guests Are Best”!