Full Name: Peters’ Thread Snake (Leptotyphlops scutifrons)
Other Names: Peters se erdslangetjie
Classification: HARMLESS
Map indicating the distribution of the Peters’ Thread Snake in Southern Africa.
A very small snake that averages around 20 cm in length. The Thread Snakes resemble worms and it can be difficult to distinguish the head from the tail. They are burrowing snakes with a cylindrical body and the eye is minute. They feed on invertebrates, especially termites and their eggs. The Thread Snakes spend most of their lives underground but may come to the surface after heavy rains. They are sometimes found under rocks and logs and old termite mounds. The Thread Snakes are tricky to tell apart and multiple species occur in Southern Africa. They can also be confused with the venomous Stiletto Snake. Thread Snakes are completely harmless.
