California Kingsnake (Striped Phase)
Lampropeltis californiae • Colubridae; Order Squamata, Suborder Serpentes, Family Colubridae, Subfamily Colubrinae, Genus Lampropeltis, Species L. californiae
Native to the southwestern United States (California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arizona) and northwestern Mexico (Baja California). Introduced populations exist on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain.
Look up California Kingsnake (Striped Phase) in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Colubridae; Order Squamata, Suborder Serpentes, Family Colubridae, Subfamily Colubrinae, Genus Lampropeltis, Species L. californiae
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN Red List). Stable overall population, though threatened in localized areas by habitat loss and vehicle mortality.
Physical Description
Dark brown to black background color with a prominent white to cream-colored longitudinal stripe along the spine (characteristic of the coastal striped pattern phase). White/cream speckled spots on the snout and sides of the head. Cylindrical body with smooth, glossy scales and round pupils.
Size & Dimensions
This specimen appears to be an adult around 3 to 4 feet (90-120 cm) long. Typical species size ranges from 2.5 to 4 feet (75-120 cm), with maximum recorded lengths reaching around 5 feet (150 cm).
Habitat
Extremely adaptable, inhabiting deserts, chaparral, grasslands, woodlands, agricultural fields, and suburban gardens, from sea level up to around 2,100 meters (7,000 feet) in elevation.
Diet & Feeding
Ophiophagous opportunist; actively hunts and eats other snakes (including venomous rattlesnakes), lizards, rodents, birds, and eggs. Dispatches prey via powerful constriction.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay clutches of 5 to 12 eggs between late spring and early summer after a gestation of about 40 to 60 days.
Look-alikes
Can be confused with striped racers (Masticophis lateralis), but racers are much more slender with larger eyes and distinct lateral stripes rather than a dorsal stripe. Also resembles other Lampropeltis species.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List). Stable overall population, though threatened in localized areas by habitat loss and vehicle mortality.
Cultural Significance
Highly prized in ecological pest control due to its predation on rattlesnakes and disease-vector rodents. Popular in the pet trade due to docility and color variations.
Notable Features
Immunity/high resistance to pit viper venom, allowing it to safely prey on rattlesnakes. Exhibits strong pattern polymorphism, ranging from banded to striped morphs within the same geographic populations.