In the landscape.
Plants & places
Moist woodland cover, rotting logs and leaf litter in western North Carolina. This one was photographed on pavement.
A sensible first response
Leave rotting logs and shaded cover where appropriate, and allow small snakes to pass undisturbed.
When to look
September photograph; warm-season sightings often follow damp weather.
Identification
The original filename only says Small Black Snake. The photograph resolves a pale yellow neck ring immediately behind a dark head, contrasting with a slender, uniformly dark body. This supports ring-necked snake. The hidden belly prevents a defensible subspecies assessment.
Lookalikes & limits
Young racers and ratsnakes usually have patterned bodies; neither is identified by a complete pale neck collar like this.
In the garden
A small predator connected to the soil and litter food web, feeding on animals such as earthworms and salamanders.