Blackhead snakes are small to medium-sized and rarely exceed 8 inches (20 cm) in total length (including the tail). They come in varying shades of brown or reddish-colored bodies with black heads. Blackhead snakes are nocturnal, secretive snakes that spend most of their time buried under rocks, in semi-forested regions, or in the moist leaf litter. This article will give you some fun facts and insights about the largest blackhead snake ever found. Read on for more information.
What is the Largest Blackhead Snake Ever Found?
The largest blackhead snake ever recorded is a female plains blackhead (Tantilla nigriceps) from Phillips County, Kansas. Larry Miller collected the snake on May 18, 1985. The female plains blackhead measured a total length of 14.625 inches (37.15 cm). The maximum length throughout the range is 15 inches, making this one a true “whopper” for almost attaining the most significant size.
What is the Appearance of a Plains Blackhead Snake?
Plains blackhead snakes are tan to brownish-gray in color. They have a black cap on top of their heads, hence the origin of the common name “black-headed snake.” This cap is either convex or pointed and extends past the head scales onto the neck by more than three scales. Plain blackheads can be readily distinguished from other blackhead snakes like the Chihuahuan by the absence of a light neck collar. The Plains blackhead’s belly is white with an orange or pink midline. At times, this snake may have a glossy sheen appearance because its dorsal scales are small and smooth.
Where to Find a Plains Blackhead Snake?
Plains backhead snakes are found in the US states of Kansas, Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Nebraska, and Colorado. Like most blackheads, this species prefers areas with loose and moist soil into which it can burrow. They are often sighted in pasturelands and grasslands under surface debris such as dried cow patties, fallen logs, and even flat stones. In urban settings, plain blackhead snakes often reside in trash piles, clay pots, and flagstones. They are rarely encountered unless you are actually looking for them.
What’s the Reproduction Rate of a Plains Blackhead Snake?
Plains blackhead snakes are egg-laying animals. They undergo a period of inactivity during the coldest seasons of the year, allowing sexually mature adults to produce sperm and eggs necessary for successful reproduction in spring. The same applies to all reptiles that reside in temperate climates. Mating typically takes place in March and April. A month later, females lay between 1 and 3 highly elongated eggs in areas with sufficient humidity. Incubation lasts approximately two months, after which the delicate babies are hatched. The juveniles are about 2 to 3 inches at birth. They usually look like their parents in terms of color and pattern, and they can take care of themselves as soon as they are born.
What do Plains Blackhead Snakes Eat?
Plains blackhead snakes are primarily fossorial, meaning they spend much of their time underground or beneath surface debris. So, they find most of their food in this habitat. Plains blackhead snakes mainly eat insect larvae, scorpions, millipedes, centipedes, and spiders, among other invertebrates. These snakes only become surface active when the rainfall is abundant. That’s when you’ll find many of them crossing roadways. In turn, they are preyed on by other giant snakes and birds of prey. Their only advantage is that they are very secretive and can hardly be found by predators. However, they have one major drawback; they are highly vulnerable to desiccation, which is why they usually avoid undersurface debris in dry periods.
Are Plains Blackhead Snakes Venomous?
Plains blackhead snakes are rear-fanged and have some toxin. However, they lack a sophisticated venom delivery system, and their venom is also weak. Therefore, this species is considered entirely harmless to humans. In addition, plains blackhead snakes never bite.
What are the Other Types of Blackhead Snakes?
As mentioned earlier, there are many species of blackhead snakes with striking similarities. They are primarily nocturnal and fossorial, spending much of their time hiding in loose, moist soil or underground debris. All blackhead snakes also eat a variety of invertebrates, including soft-bodied insects, millipedes, and centipedes. Here are five types of blackhead snakes:
1. Southwestern Blackhead Snake
Commonly known as the Smith’s blackhead snake, the southwestern blackhead snake (Tantilla hobartsmithi) is a species of tiny colubrid snake endemic to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Except for their black-colored heads, southwestern blackhead snakes are uniformly brown. They have a broad reddish stripe on their bellies that runs down the center of the ventral scales. They grow to a maximum length of 15 inches, though their typical length is about 8 inches.
2. Western Black-headed Snake
Also known as the California black-headed snake, the western black-headed snake (Tantilla planiceps) is a snake species native to the US states of California, Texas, and the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. It has a flattened head and is about 7 to 15 inches in total length. It’s olive-gray or brown with a black head bordered by a white collar. Western black-headed snakes are visually similar to southwestern blackheads, though they usually appear in pairs. Like other blackhead snakes, they spend much of their lives underground.
3. Big Bend Black-headed Snake
The Big Bend black-headed snake (Tantilla cucullata) is another colubrid species found in Texas, specifically in the eastern parts of the Trans-Pecos near Del Rio and the Big Bend. Big Bend black-headed snakes have a tan dorsal surface and a white belly. The black color on their heads extends for a minimum of five dorsal scale rows. Like other Tantilla species, these snakes are also non-venomous and hardly bite.
4. Chihuahuan Blackhead Snake
Chihuahuan blackhead snakes (Tantilla wilcoxi) are a small species of snakes in the family Colubridae. These snakes are found in Mexico and North America. They are approximately 7 to 14 inches in total length. They are brown, tan, or yellowish-brown dorsally, with a dark gray-brown cap on their heads, extending to or slightly below the corners of their mouths. These species prefer to inhabit the canyons and slopes in oak or pine-oak woodland.
5. Mexican Blackhead Snake
Mexican blackhead snakes are tiny, secretive snakes of arid lands. They’re very similar to southwestern blackhead snakes and can hardly be differentiated. However, their ranges do not overlap like those of southwestern blackheads. Mexican blackhead snakes are grayish-brown to brown dorsally, with a white belly. Some may have a faint, slightly darker vertebral stripe. Mexican blackhead snakes measure 6-8 inches in total length.
