Scarlet Kingsnake
Lampropeltis elapsoides • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Lampropeltis, Species: L. elapsoides
Found throughout the Southeastern and Eastern United States, ranging from southern New Jersey and Virginia, south through Florida, and west to eastern Louisiana and Kentucky.
Look up Scarlet Kingsnake in the Snake Encyclopedia →Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Lampropeltis, Species: L. elapsoides
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN); however, they are protected in some states (like Georgia) and face threats from habitat loss and the pet trade.
Physical Description
Brightly colored with repeating bands of red, black, and yellow (or white). The red bands touch the black bands, not the yellow. They have a red snout, smooth scales, small eyes with round pupils, and a slender body.
Size & Dimensions
The specimen in the image appears to be an adult, approximately 14-18 inches. Typical adult length is 14-20 inches (36-51 cm); they are one of the smallest kingsnake species.
Habitat
Primarily terrestrial and fossorial; prefers pine flatwoods, hydric hammocks, and sandhill habitats. Frequently found under the bark of fallen rotting pine logs and stumps.
Diet & Feeding
Specializes in small lizards (particularly skinks), but will also eat small snakes and occasionally small rodents. They use constriction to dispatch prey.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay clutches of 2-9 eggs during the summer months; hatchlings emerge in late summer or early fall.
Look-alikes
Frequently confused with the highly venomous Eastern Coral Snake (Micrurus fulvius). Distinction: On kingsnakes, 'Red touches Black, friend of Jack'; on Coral Snakes, 'Red touches Yellow, kill a fellow.' Also similar to the Scarlet Snake (Cemophora coccinea), which has a white/plain belly.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN); however, they are protected in some states (like Georgia) and face threats from habitat loss and the pet trade.
Cultural Significance
A famous example of Batesian mimicry, where a harmless species evolves to look like a dangerous one to deter predators. They play a vital role in controlling lizard and small snake populations.
Notable Features
Distinguished by its vibrant 'tri-color' pattern and its red snout, which differentiates it from the black-snouted Eastern Milk Snake found in more northern latitudes.