Balsam Poplar. The buds should have a sweet resinous balsam scent - one of the delights of spring. Resin

Marcia, Please help me find out what kind of snake I came across today. While I was at the local dog park (near Orlando) I came across a yellow with black stripes snake. It looked to be between 3.5-4 feet long and did not appear at first glance (that was all I gave it out of fear) to be shiny. I was about 3 feet from it and didn't know it until my dog almost stepped on it. She obviously didn't see it either. The snake seemed a pit peeved about the whole thing but it decided not to attack and to slowly slither towards ME to get away from my dog. Needless to say, I took off in a different direction real quick and hollered for my dog to follow. I am not like you or others on this site. I am not a fan of snakes and am extremely afraid of them. Although, I don't mind the black racers that seem to have taken up permanent residence in MY back yard and they love to procreate often (or so it seems). I have seen a lot less field rats since the racers moved in and that makes me very happy. Anyway, can you help me figure out what this snake was? I have spent hours and hours online tonight trying to find it and just can't seem to find anything that looks like it. I am guessing that it is not dangerous to me or my dogs??? I am scared to take my dogs back through those woods that they so dearly love. As soon as I told them, "No more woods until the snakes are gone again," they "told" me to find it if it was dangerous or not and if it isn't that they want to go back again. So that is mostly why I am asking you for your help. We all love the walks but I am afraid of the snakes. Please help me feel safer about going back. Thanks in advance for your help.

Poor little snake!!! I just found what I believe is the same little ringneck snake (had to search for this thread to make sure that's what it's called) swimming valiantly against the current of my pool water intake. I dropped the scooper and ran to the opening just as he was going in. I took out the filter basket and ran out of the screened in cage with him. I have no idea how long his struggle had been but he tried to get out through one of the opening but couldn't get much past his neck ? (a bit past his head but not that far down, without shoulders it's hard to describe) so he just gave up & stuck his head back in through another opening and just kinda gave up :(. I ran in the house & grabbed some gloves & I managed to delicately pull his head part out and thread him back through and then deposit him in amongst the weeds - um I mean my beautiful garden *cough*. I am so sad. My question is will he live? I feel terrible for him. He's so little and I have no idea how long his horrible struggle had gone on. Off to do my own research but I'm hoping someone on here will have good news for me - as in the fact that my pool is in desperate need of a shocking... and I ran out of chlorine atleast a week ago so it's starting to get dirty looking might mean he hasn't been too harmed by pool chemicals :(, Ugh, I'm grasping at straws to alleviate my guilt, Nat

I agree, it would definitely be a ringneck snake, and it is probably full grown. They are very small snakes. As Lisa said, they are harmless and very beautiful. Marcia