Ground Snake
Sonora semiannulata

Body length: 8 - 18"
Diet: Small arthropods

Ground snakes are true ground-dwellers, as their name suggests. They live in tunnel and rock crevice networks, feeding on arthropods such as spiders, centipedes, scorpions, and crickets. Small and secretive, ground snakes are rarely seen by humans. When found, they are easy to confuse with a variety of other snakes. In the Tonto Basin, ground snakes often have dark heads (as in the photo) and resemble blackhead snakes. However, while ground snakes have whitish bellies, blackhead snakes are red or orange underneath.

Ground snakes and several other small snakes have small fangs in the rear of their mouths that deliver a mild venom. Their bite may immobilize their tiny prey, but is certainly not dangerous to humans. At Tonto National Monument, they appear to be most common on shallow slopes at lower elevations.

Ground Snake Sonora semiannulata

Ground Snake
Sonora semiannulata