There is a light band across the back of head. There is a dark spot on the upper lip scales under the eye. The belly is tannish to pinkish, with black dots along the edges. The scales are keeled , and there are 17 dorsal scale rows at midbody. The pupil is round.
Juveniles are dark brownish with a light band across back of head.
In Florida, it is found in two disjunct areas, one in the western panhandle, the other in the eastern panhandle and northern peninsula. Outside of Florida, it is found from Georgia west to Louisiana and north to Wisconsin. Commonly found near hardwood hammocks, pinelands, bogs, marshes, ponds, swamps, and sloughs. The midland brown snake is a terrestrial burrower, and prefers moist environments where it is found under logs, rocks, and other debris. It feeds on slugs, snails, and earthworms, but occasionaly eats small fishes, frogs, and salamanders.