There are three light spots on the back of neck. There is a white spot under the eye on the scales of the upper lip. The belly normally is red, but may also be orange or yellow. The scales are keeled , and there are 15 dorsal scale rows at midbody. The pupil is round.
Juveniles are grayish with a light band across back of neck.
Richard Bartlett photo. The striping on this specimen is very prominent. In Florida, it is found throughout the panhandle. Outside of Florida, it is found from central Georgia west to eastern Texas and north to Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan, Canada. Moist woodlands on hilly slopes and mountains.