Eastern Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum • Order: Squamata; Suborder: Serpentes; Family: Colubridae; Subfamily: Colubrinae; Genus: Lampropeltis; Species: L. triangulum
Southeastern Canada through the Northeastern and Midwestern United States, ranging as far south as Georgia and as far west as Minnesota.
Look up Eastern Milksnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata; Suborder: Serpentes; Family: Colubridae; Subfamily: Colubrinae; Genus: Lampropeltis; Species: L. triangulum
Conservation
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. Generally stable, though threatened by habitat loss and road mortality.
Physical Description
Grayish or tan background color with reddish-brown or chocolate-brown dorsal blotches outlined in black. Characteristic light 'V' or 'Y' shaped mark on the back of the head. Features smooth scales, round pupils, and a white/black checkerboard belly pattern.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen appears to be an adult around 60-90 cm. The species typically ranges from 61 to 90 cm (24-36 inches), with a maximum record of 132 cm.
Habitat
Generalist species found in meadows, old fields, rocky hillsides, and deciduous forests; often found around human structures like barns and woodpiles.
Diet & Feeding
Active foragers that use constriction to kill prey. They eat small mammals, birds, eggs, and are known to consume other snakes (ophiophagy).
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay clutches of 2 to 17 eggs in early summer, which hatch in late summer or early autumn.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. Generally stable, though threatened by habitat loss and road mortality.
Cultural Significance
Named for the folk myth that they would enter barns to 'milk' cows, a physiological impossibility; ecologically valuable for controlling rodent populations.
Notable Features
The 'milksnake' name is a misnomer based on their affinity for barns where rodents—their actual prey—are abundant. They are highly skilled at navigating human-disturbed environments.