Eastern Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum
Also known as: Eastern Milk Snake · red milk snake · Red Milksnake
Reptilia
COMMON
Stats
- Lifespan
- 12-20 yrs
- Size
- Medium
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Activity
- Nocturnal
- Social
- Solitary
- Biome
- Temperate forest
- Range
- North America
- Movement
- Slithering
- Breeding
- Egg-laying
- Defense
- Camouflage
- Status
- Common
About
The eastern milksnake is a non-venomous colubrid found across the eastern and central United States, prized for its bold reddish-brown blotches outlined in black along a gray or tan body. Its banded pattern is a Batesian mimic of the venomous coral snake and copperhead, scaring off predators despite being completely harmless.
Life cycle
- 1.hatchlingA miniature snake emerges from the egg or from its mother (live-bearers), already venomous or strong-coiled in some species.
- 2.juvenileA juvenile sheds its skin, grows quickly, and hunts smaller prey than the adults.
- 3.adultFully grown at adult length and pattern.
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Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Colubridae
- Genus
- Lampropeltis
- Species
- Lampropeltis triangulum