Eastern Milk Snake
Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum
Appearance 2
35 to 175 cm long. They have colorful patterns with large sections of red to rusty brown banded on either side by black with the bands separated by a thin strip of yellow or white. In some areas they might be patchy rather than banded and look similar to copperheads. Their heads are rounded and the same size as the neck - they are nonvenomous.
Habitat 2
They prefer forest edges but can be found by stream-sides, in grasslands, on rocky hillsides and in suburbs.
Behavior/Reproduction 2
Milk snakes mate during hibernation. The female snakes lay 2-17 eggs in leaf litter or moist stumps in the spring. After 28-39 days the eggs hatch. The young reach maturity after 3-4 years.
Milk snakes are solitary and secretive. They are most active during the day but may be found on rocks and roads at night or during cool weather. They can be active during hotter weather than most snakes. If threatened they shake their tails to try to appear to be a timber rattlesnake. They hibernate over winter, and it is the only time they congregate.
Fun Fact 2
The milk snake’s coloring is an example of mimicry. Its bands look like the poisonous coral snake, and when more patchy with duller colors it resembles a copperhead. However, their rounded heads show that they’re not poisonous.
Citations 2
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Lampropeltis_triangulum/
Sources and Credits
- (c) Glen Peterson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/trombamarina/2110945470/
- (c) gburg2016, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
iNat Map
| Category | Amphibians and Reptiles |
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