Characteristics:
     Medium to large snake, reaching lengths of more than 3.5ft. Body color is white or gray with large red, orange, or rust brown, black bordered, blotches. The belly is white with black checkers. Back scales are smooth.

*Note: There are two subspecies in this area, eastern milk snake (L. t. triangulum) and the red milk snake (L. t. syspila). They are differentiated by the color and number of blotches.


Habitat:
    Milk snakes can be found in a wide variety of habitats. Rocky, wooded, hillsides and glades seem to be the preferred habitat. Most often found in locations with plenty of cover.


Behavior:
   The milk snake is a very shy snake that is not often seen. They are usually found underneath rocks, logs, old boards, etc. They mate in the spring and lay eggs in the early summer. They have a variable diet including small birds, reptiles, frogs, fish, and even bird and reptile eggs. There is an old myth that the milk snake will sneak into barns and milk cows dry. This is how the snake got its name. Needless to say, there is no truth to this at all. The myth probably arose because they are sometimes found in barns while hunting for food.

Personal Remarks:
    This is one of our most colorful snakes. It is a shame that we do not see them that often. They are fairly common in some locations but even then it is not easy to find them. The mik snake is actually a kingsnake, but it sure does not share the same attitude that the other kingsnakes have. These guys have teeth and they are not afraid to use them. Sometimes people mis-identify this snake as being the coral snake, which we do not have in this area, and say that it is venomous. This is not the case at all. The milk snake is completely harmless.