Eastern Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum
Conservation Status:
State Status: Secure
Global Assessment: Least Concern
Photographed by Kristof Zyskowski in Hamden
Description
Eastern milksnakes are one to three feet long. They have smooth scales that are gray or brown with a red saddle pattern outlined in black. The belly is white with a black checkered pattern. Younger snakes are brighter in color than adults.
Habitat
This species is common in woodlands, specifically ones with pine and oak trees. They can also be found near bodies of water, on rocky slopes, and even in farmlands or barns.
Behavior
Milksnakes are very secretive snakes, usually hiding under rocks and logs or other debris. They are typically nocturnal. Over the winter, they may enter basements. They eat rodents, amphibians, and small birds. This species relies on its camoflauge, but when threatened they may vibrate their tail to mimic a rattlesnake, and are quick to bite. When handled, they release an unpleasant smell. In the early summer they lay around ten eggs under forest debris.
Range
Present
Eastern Milksnake
Photographed by Rebecca Gerlenter
Often Confused with
Eastern Copperhead
Photographed by Kristof Zyskowski
There are a few key differences in the body shapes of these two snakes. Copperheads have triangular shaped heads and very thick bodies, while milksnakes are more slender with a smaller, oval shaped head. The coloring and patterns also differ, with milksnakes having a saddle pattern outlined in black, a patterned head, and a white and black checkered belly. Copperheads have no pattern on their head, an unpatterned white belly, and hourglass shaped bands across the body. They also have prominent vertical pupil slits, unlike the milksnake.