Eastern Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Lampropeltis, Species: L. triangulum
Eastern North America, ranging from southern Ontario and Quebec south to northern Georgia and Alabama, and west to the Mississippi River.
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 status is Least Concern. Threats include habitat destruction, road mortality, and intentional killing due to misidentification.
Physical Description
Slender-bodied snake featuring a pattern of dark blotches (brown, black, or reddish-brown) bordered in black against a lighter grey, tan, or whitish background. The head often shows a light-colored 'Y' or 'V' shaped mark on the nape. Scales are smooth and glossy, and the pupil is round.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen pictured appears to be a juvenile, approximately 25-35 cm in length. Adults typically range from 60 to 130 cm.
Habitat
Found in a variety of habitats including deciduous and coniferous forests, fields, rocky hillsides, agricultural areas, and near human habitations, typically hiding beneath logs, rocks, bark, and leaf litter.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feeds on small rodents, lizards, amphibians, birds, and other snakes. Uses constriction to subdue prey and is typically an active forager that also utilizes ambush tactics in rodent burrows.
Reproduction
Oviparous species, laying clutches of 2 to 24 eggs in mid-summer (June to July) under rotting logs, rocks, or loose soil, where they incubate for about two months before hatching.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List status is Least Concern. Threats include habitat destruction, road mortality, and intentional killing due to misidentification.
Cultural Significance
Historically associated with the rural myth that they could milk cows, which led to their common name. They play an important ecological role in controlling rodent populations.
Notable Features
Possesses Batesian mimicry coloration that superficially resembles other species in certain regions.