Scarlet Kingsnake
Lampropeltis elapsoides • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Colubridae, Subfamily: Colubrinae, Genus: Lampropeltis, Species: L. elapsoides
Venomous Status
Non-venomous; aglyphous dentition (lacking specialized fangs).
Danger Level
Harmless; they possess no venom and have very small teeth. They are shy and rarely bite humans unless significantly provoked.
Geographic Range
Southeastern United States, from eastern Kentucky and southern Virginia through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and west to Louisiana.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN), though populations are threatened in some northern portions of their range due to habitat loss and urbanization.
Physical Description
Tricolored pattern with red, black, and yellow/white rings. The red bands always touch black bands (red on black, friend of jack). Scales are smooth and glossy; the snout is typically red and pointed.
Size & Dimensions
Average adult size is 14 to 20 inches (36-51 cm). This specimen appears to be an adult. The maximum recorded length is approximately 27 inches.
Habitat
Primarily pine flatwoods, pine-oak forests, and mixed deciduous forests. They are highly fossorial and frequently found under logs, bark, or within rotting stumps.
Behavior & Temperament
Secretive and nocturnal or crepuscular. They are docile but may vibrate their tails when threatened to mimic a rattlesnake. They are excellent climbers.
Diet & Feeding
Specializes in small lizards (particularly skinks), small snakes, and occasionally small rodents. They use constriction to kill their prey.
Reproduction
Oviparous (egg-laying). Females lay clutches of 2 to 9 eggs during the summer months; hatchlings emerge in late summer.
Venom Profile
Venom Type
Non-venomous - no medically significant venom.
AI-generated — see a qualified source if acting on this. For any snakebite, call emergency services immediately.
Look-alikes
Eastern Coral Snake (Micrurus fulvius): differentiated by red bands touching yellow bands (red on yellow, kill a fellow). Scarlet Snake (Cemophora coccinea): has a white/plain belly and scales that do not ring the entire body.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN), though populations are threatened in some northern portions of their range due to habitat loss and urbanization.
Cultural Significance
Often used in educational settings to teach the 'Coral Snake Rhyme' regarding Batesian mimicry. They play an ecological role in controlling lizard and small snake populations.
Notable Features
Famous for Batesian mimicry, where a harmless species evolves to look like a dangerous one (the Coral Snake) to deter predators. They are the smallest species of kingsnake.