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 North Carolina, and west to parts of the Mississippi River valley.
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 mistaken identity.
Physical Description
Slender body with a pattern of dark blotches (brown, reddish-brown, or black) edged in black along a lighter grey or tan background. It features a whitish or yellowish 'Y' or 'V' shaped marking on the back of the head. Scales are smooth and glossy.
Size & Dimensions
The pictured specimen appears to be a juvenile, approximately 25 to 35 cm in length. Adults typically range from 60 to 130 cm.
Habitat
Found in a wide variety of habitats including forests, fields, agricultural land, rocky hillsides, and near barns or old foundations. They frequent edge habitats from sea level up to moderate elevations.
Diet & Feeding
Diet consists primarily of small rodents, lizards, birds, bird eggs, and other snakes. They are active hunters that use constriction to subdue their prey.
Reproduction
Oviparous species, females lay clutches of 2 to 24 eggs in rotting logs, under rocks, or in loose soil during early summer. Eggs 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 mistaken identity.
Cultural Significance
Historically associated with the rural myth that they milk cows, which led to their common name. They are beneficial to agriculture as natural rodent controllers.
Notable Features
Possesses a Batesian mimicry coloration scheme that bears a superficial resemblance to other species, helping to deter predators.