Another glade habitat in Missouri that was explored.

Lined Snakes were relatively easy to come by. This small, secretive serpent looks similar to a Garter Snake. It is mainly brown to grayish brown with three light stripes, one along the middle of the back, plus two on the sides. The belly is white with two distinct rows of half-moon shapes.

An American Toad in a Missouri glade.

Speckled Kingsnakes are not only common in relatively undisturbed habitats, but often are also common in agricultural areas, particularly around buildings and junkyards.

Unlike other grasshoppers, the Wrinkled Grasshopper is most often found in areas with dense grass. Its pattern helps to conceal it when it hides in tangles of vegetation.

Worm Snakes are small snakes, only growing to about a foot long. Their color can vary from pinkish-brown to dark-brown. They somewhat resemble earthworms and spend most of their time underground, which is how they get their name. They are seldom seen.

A juvenile skink found in a Missouri glade.

An adult Prairie Ringneck Snake.

At less than three inches in total length, the Striped Bark Scorpion is easily identified by being a uniform pale-yellow in color with two dark, longitudinal stripes on its back. It is the only species of scorpion found in Missouri.

Eastern Yellowbelly Racer - like other American Racers, juveniles are tan or gray and marked with gray or brown blotches and spots on the back, and smaller, alternating spots on the sides. As the young snakes grow, the markings fade and eventually disappear by their third year.

A Western Ribbon Snake seen crossing the road on the way to Snake Road in southern Illinois.

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