The subspecific name, edwardsii, is in honor of English ornithologist George Edwards, who described it, without giving it a binomial name, from a specimen he had received from William Bartram.

More specifically, it is found in the following: NE Alabama, Connecticut, NW Georgia, SE Illinois, S Indiana, Kentucky,Maine, W Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, NE Minnesota,S New Hampshire, N New Jersey, New York, W North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, extreme NW South Carolina, E Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and Florida.

[6] D. p. edwardsii is nocturnal and prone to hiding and traveling under rocks, fallen logs and leaf litter, so it is not commonly observed by people despite the potential abundant population density.

The eggs hatch after about two months, and the young look essentially the same as the adults, possibly with a brighter color shade on the ring and belly.

[citation needed] In the winter D. p. edwardsii hibernates in locations from stone walls or cellars to small mammal burrows to brush piles or rotting logs.