How to Identify the Scarlet Kingsnake (Identification Guide)
Identify the scarlet kingsnake by its glossy red, black, and yellow banding, red snout, and use the 'red touches black' rule to distinguish it from coral snakes.
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Key identifying features
The scarlet kingsnake is a small, strikingly colored, nonvenomous snake known for its glossy red, black, and yellow (or white) banding, which closely mimics venomous coral snakes. It has a red or reddish snout, smooth scales, and a slender, cylindrical body.
Coloration & pattern
The body displays alternating bands of red, black, and yellow, with the sequence typically running red-black-yellow-black-red repeated down the length of the snake. The red bands are usually bordered directly by black bands, a key distinguishing trait from venomous coral snakes. Coloration is often vivid and glossy, particularly in fresh-shed individuals, with clean, well-defined band edges.
Head, eyes & scales
The snout is typically red, a helpful identifying feature, and the head is only slightly distinct from the neck. Eyes are of moderate size with round pupils. Scales are smooth and glossy, giving the snake a polished, shiny appearance overall.
Size & body shape
This is a small, slender snake, generally staying modest in length and thin in girth throughout its life. The body is cylindrical and the tail moderate in length, tapering gradually.
Range & habitat where you'll see it
Scarlet kingsnakes are found in the southeastern United States, inhabiting pine flatwoods, hardwood forests, and areas with abundant loose ground cover such as logs, bark, and leaf litter, under which they frequently shelter. They are secretive and most often found by searching under cover objects rather than out in the open.
How to tell it apart from look-alikes
The classic identification rule, "red touches black, safe for Jack; red touches yellow, kill a fellow," applies here in the eastern U.S.: in the scarlet kingsnake, red bands are bordered by black rather than by yellow, distinguishing it from the venomous coral snakes found in overlapping ranges. Its red snout, smaller size, and smooth glossy scales also help confirm identification.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a scarlet kingsnake from a coral snake?
In the scarlet kingsnake, red bands touch black bands rather than yellow bands, following the traditional 'red touches black, safe for Jack' rule used in the eastern United States.
What color is the scarlet kingsnake's snout?
It typically has a red or reddish snout, which is a useful field mark distinguishing it from some similarly patterned species.
How big does a scarlet kingsnake get?
It is a small, slender snake that stays modest in length and thin in girth throughout its life.
Where does the scarlet kingsnake live?
Pine flatwoods, hardwood forests, and areas with abundant leaf litter and woody debris across the southeastern United States.
Scarlet Kingsnake identified by the community
Recent Scarlet Kingsnake specimens identified with Snake Identifier.
