The milk snake or milksnake (''Lampropeltis triangulum''), is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
kingsnake
Kingsnakes are colubrid New World members of the genus ''Lampropeltis'', which includes 26 species. Among these, about 45 subspecies are recognized. They are nonvenomous and ophiophagous in diet.
Description
Kingsnakes vary widely in size and ...
; 24
subspecies are currently recognized. ''Lampropeltis elapsoides'', the
scarlet kingsnake
The scarlet kingsnake or scarlet milk snake (''Lampropeltis elapsoides'') is a species of kingsnake found in the southeastern and eastern portions of the United States. Like all kingsnakes, they are nonvenomous. They are found in pine flatwoods, ...
, was formerly classified as a 25th subspecies (''L. t. elapsoides''), but is now recognized as a distinct species.
The
subspecies have strikingly different appearances, and many of them have their own
common names. Some authorities suggest that this
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
could be split into several separate species.
They are not
venomous
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
to humans.
Geographic range
Milk snakes can be found from the southeastern extreme of
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
through the eastern half of the United States.
Habitat
Across the wide range of this species, habitat varies. Typically, milk snakes live in forested regions; however, they can also be found in swamps, prairie, farmland, rocky slopes, and sand dunes/beaches.
In some situations, milk snakes also
migrate seasonally, during the winter they move to higher and drier habitats for
hibernation and moister habitats for the summer. Milk snakes enter hibernation from late October or November to mid-April.
Description
There is a significant amount of variation among milk snakes in terms of size. Depending on subspecies, they can be as small as 14" (36cm) or as large as 72" (183cm) long. Adults in the wild apparently average from in North America. However, unusually large milk snakes can become rather bulkier than average-sized adults and potentially weigh up to , though high weights as such are generally reported from captivity.
[Hamilton, B. T., Hart, R., & Sites, J. W. (2012). ''Feeding ecology of the Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum, Colubridae) in the western United States''. Journal of Herpetology, 46(4), 515-523.] Males typically are larger than females in maturity, although females can be bulkier than males similar in length as well. Generally more tropical populations, from
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
and further south, reach larger adult sizes than milk snakes living in the temperate zones.
Milk snakes have smooth and shiny
scales and their typical color pattern is alternating bands of red-black-yellow or white-black-red;
however, red blotches instead of bands are seen in some populations.
Some milk snakes have a striking resemblance to
coral snake
Coral snakes are a large group of elapid snakes that can be divided into two distinct groups, the Old World coral snakes and New World coral snakes. There are 16 species of Old World coral snakes, in three genera (''Calliophis'', '' Hemibungar ...
s, in
Batesian mimicry, which likely scares away potential
predators
Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill th ...
. Both milk snakes and coral snakes possess
transverse
Transverse may refer to:
*Transverse engine, an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the wheels of the vehicle
*Transverse flute, a flute that is held horizontally
* Transverse force (or ''Euler force''), the tangen ...
bands of red, black, and yellow. Experts now recognize that common mnemonics that people use to distinguish between the deadly coral snake and the harmless milk snake are not 100% reliable. Some coral snakes do not have the typical banding colors or patterns. Examples of unreliable mnemonics commonly used:
* "Red on yellow kill a fellow. Red on black venom lack"
* "Red touches black, it's a friend of Jack. Red touches yellow, it's bad for a fellow."
![Milksnake2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Milksnake2.jpg)
Due to the many colors of the
eastern milk snake
''Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum'', commonly known as the eastern milk snake or eastern milksnake, is a subspecies of the milk snake (''Lampropeltis triangulum''). The nonvenomous, colubrid snake is indigenous to eastern and central North Am ...
(''L. t. triangulum''), it can resemble the coral snake,
corn snake,
fox snake
Fox snake or foxsnake is the common name given to some North American rat snake
Rat snakes are members – along with kingsnakes, milk snakes, vine snakes and indigo snakes – of the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. They a ...
,
scarlet snake
''Cemophora coccinea'', commonly known as the scarlet snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to the southeastern United States. There are two subspecies of ''C. coccinea'' that are recognized as ...
, and most importantly, the
venomous snake
Venomous snakes are species of the suborder Serpentes that are capable of producing venom, which they use for killing prey, for defense, and to assist with digestion of their prey. The venom is typically delivered by injection using hollow or g ...
genera ''
Agkistrodon
''Agkistrodon'' is a genus of venomous pit vipers commonly known as American moccasins.Crother, B. I. (ed.). 2017. ''Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confi ...
'' and ''
Sistrurus
:''Common names: ground rattlesnakes, pygmy rattlesnakes, massasaugas'' Wright AH, Wright AA (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing Associates, a Division of Cornell University Press ...
''. Milk, fox, and scarlet snakes are killed because of a resemblance to the venomous
pygmy rattler Pygmy rattler is a common name for two species of snakes:
* ''Sistrurus miliarius'', a.k.a. the pigmy rattlesnake, a venomous pitviper found in North America
* ''Sistrurus catenatus
The massasauga (''Sistrurus catenatus'') is a rattlesnake spec ...
s. Juvenile milk snakes, which are more reddish than adults, are often killed because they are mistaken for
copperhead
Copperhead may refer to:
Snakes
* ''Agkistrodon contortrix'', or copperhead, a venomous pit viper species found in parts of North America
* '' Austrelaps'', or Australian copperhead, a genus of venomous elapids found in southern Australia and Ta ...
s. Enough distinction exists among the five to make the eastern milk snake fairly easy to identify. The eastern milk snakes also have a light-colored V-shaped or Y-shaped patch on their necks. One subspecies, ''L. t. gaigeae'', is
melanistic (almost all black) as an adult.
Behavior
Milk snakes are mostly
nocturnal, especially during summer months.
They are primarily
terrestrial
Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth.
Terrestrial may also refer to:
* Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on or near the ground, as opposed to ...
and attempt to blend in with ground litter. However, they are able to climb and swim. These snakes tend to be secretive and remain hidden. When threatened, a milk snake will usually first try to escape. If cornered or harassed, it may vibrate its tail and strike energetically, though of course they are non-venomous, have only tiny teeth and their tails lack a rattle. Unless frightened, milk snakes move slowly. They are often fairly docile.
Diet
Young milk snakes typically eat crickets and other insects, slugs, and earthworms;
[ in the western U.S., juveniles also feed on small lizards and other young snakes.][ Adults' diet is primarily small mammals, but frequently includes lizards (especially skinks).][ They are also known to eat birds and their eggs, frogs, fish, and other snakes (including venomous species like ]coral snake
Coral snakes are a large group of elapid snakes that can be divided into two distinct groups, the Old World coral snakes and New World coral snakes. There are 16 species of Old World coral snakes, in three genera (''Calliophis'', '' Hemibungar ...
s and rattlesnakes) and their eggs.[
Milk snakes are much more opportunistic eaters than the fox snake or corn snake. Although the diet of adult milk snakes primarily consists of ]rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are n ...
s[ (such as ]vole
Voles are small rodents that are relatives of lemmings and hamsters, but with a stouter body; a longer, hairy tail; a slightly rounder head; smaller eyes and ears; and differently formed molars (high-crowned with angular cusps instead of lo ...
s, mice, and rats), they also have been known to consume a variety of other animals: bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
s and their egg
An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the a ...
s, other reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrate
Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...
s.
They are nocturnal hunters and are often found resting during the day in old barns and under wood. An old fable about milk snakes is that they suck cow udders to get milk. The story is entirely false, and is discredited by the fact that the milk snake is not physically capable of sucking milk from a cow's udder; however, milk snakes ''are'' frequently found in and around barn
A barn is an agricultural building usually on farms and used for various purposes. In North America, a barn refers to structures that house livestock, including cattle and horses, as well as equipment and fodder, and often grain.Alle ...
s, making use of the cool and dark environment for a resting-place during the day, and the easily accessible infestations of rodents for a convenient food supply. This preference for barns, and consequently the company of cows, presumably gave rise to the fable.[
]
Reproduction
Milk snakes are oviparous, laying an average of about 10 eggs per clutch, although that number may vary by region. The milk snake mates from early May to late June. In June and July, the female lays three to 24 eggs beneath logs, boards, rocks, and rotting vegetation. The eggs are oval in shape, and white in color. Eggs range from 2.5 cm to 4.2 cm (1 to 1.7 in) in length. The eggs incubate for about two months, and hatch around August or September. The average hatchling in Virginia measures in total length and weighs .
Milk snakes typically live around 12 years, or up to 21 years in captivity. They reach maturity within three or four years.
Conservation status
The milk snake is listed as of least concern
A least-concern species is a species that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as evaluated as not being a focus of species conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wild. T ...
by the IUCN (a wildlife conservation union), but in some areas, they may face significant pressure due to pet-trade collection. Because of this species' attractiveness in the pet trade, many subspecies are now being bred in captivity for sale.
Subspecies
Source:
* Guatemalan milk snake, ''L. t. abnorma'' ( Bocourt, 1886)
* Louisiana milk snake, '' L. t. amaura'' (Cope
The cope (known in Latin as ''pluviale'' 'rain coat' or ''cappa'' 'cape') is a liturgical vestment, more precisely a long mantle or cloak, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp. It may be of any liturgical colour.
A c ...
, 1861)
* Andean milk snake, ''L. t. andesiana'' ( K. Williams, 1978)
* Mexican milk snake
''Lampropeltis annulata'', commonly known as the Mexican milk snake, is a non-venomous species of milk snake.
Geographic range
This reptile is native to the hot semi-arid regions of northeastern Mexico in Coahuila, Tamaulipas and Nuevo León, ...
, ''L. t. annulata'' ( Kennicott, 1861)
*Jalisco milk snake, '' L. t. arcifera'' ( F. Werner, 1903)
* Blanchard's milk snake, '' L. t. blanchardi'' ( Stuart, 1935)
* Pueblan milk snake, ''L. t. campbelli'' ( Quinn, 1983)
*New Mexico milk snake, '' L. t. celaenops'' ( Stejneger, 1903)
* Conant's milk snake, '' L. t. conanti'' (K. Williams, 1978)
* Dixon's milk snake, '' L. t. dixoni'' (Quinn, 1983)
* black milk snake, ''L. t. gaigeae'' ( Dunn, 1937)
*Central Plains milk snake, '' L. t. gentilis'' ( Baird & Girard, 1853)
* Honduran milk snake, ''L. t. hondurensis'' (K. Williams, 1978)
*pale milk snake, '' L. t. multistriata'' ( Kennicott, 1861)
* Nelson's milk snake, '' L. t. nelsoni'' ( Blanchard, 1920)
* Pacific Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
n milk snake, '' L. t. oligozona'' ( Bocourt, 1886)
* Atlantic Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
n milk snake, '' L. t. polyzona'' (Cope
The cope (known in Latin as ''pluviale'' 'rain coat' or ''cappa'' 'cape') is a liturgical vestment, more precisely a long mantle or cloak, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp. It may be of any liturgical colour.
A c ...
, 1861)
* Sinaloan milk snake, ''L. t. sinaloae'' (K. Williams, 1978)
* Smith
Smith may refer to:
People
* Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals
* Smith (given name)
* Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland
** List of people wi ...
's milk snake, '' L. t. smithi'' (K. Williams, 1978)
* Stuart's milk snake, '' L. t. stuarti'' (K. Williams, 1978)
* red milk snake
''Lampropeltis triangulum syspila'', commonly known as the red milk snake or red milksnake, is a subspecies of the milk snake ''(Lampropeltis triangulum)''. The nonvenomous, colubrid snake is indigenous to the central United States.
Geographi ...
, ''L. t. syspila'' (Cope
The cope (known in Latin as ''pluviale'' 'rain coat' or ''cappa'' 'cape') is a liturgical vestment, more precisely a long mantle or cloak, open in front and fastened at the breast with a band or clasp. It may be of any liturgical colour.
A c ...
, 1889)
* Utah milk snake, '' L. t. taylori'' ( W. Tanner & Loomis, 1957)
* eastern milk snake
''Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum'', commonly known as the eastern milk snake or eastern milksnake, is a subspecies of the milk snake (''Lampropeltis triangulum''). The nonvenomous, colubrid snake is indigenous to eastern and central North Am ...
, ''L. t. triangulum'' ( Lacépède, 1788)
References
External links
Milk Snake
Reptiles and Amphibians of Iowa
{{Authority control
Lampropeltis
Reptiles described in 1788
Reptiles of Colombia
Reptiles of Ecuador
Reptiles of Guatemala
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Reptiles of the United States
Snakes of Central America
Snakes of North America
Snakes of South America