The Blind Snakes are the smallest snake in the US and usually the smallest snake anywhere they are found in the Americas. They are fossorial in habit and are rarely found on the surface. Their common name "blind snake" comes from the fact that their eyes are almost usless, pretty much to detect light only. Their prey items, ants (and pupae) and termites (and larvae) are taken from within the ant mound or termite mound. Most people lucky enough to see one of these mostly mistake them for earthworms.