Milk Snake
Lampropeltis triangulum
🌍 Overview
Milk snakes are a widely distributed kingsnake species found from Canada through Central America. Their name comes from the folk myth that they slipped into barns to drink cow's milk - unfounded, but barn-dwelling rodents are certainly part of their diet. Many subspecies display vivid red, black, and yellow/white banding that mimics the venomous coral snake - a classic example of Batesian mimicry.
📋 Quick Facts
Native Range
North and Central America (Canada to Ecuador)
Natural Habitat
Rocky hillsides, woodland, grassland, farmland, and forest edges
Adult Size
2-4 feet (60-120 cm) depending on subspecies
Wild Diet
Rodents, lizards, birds, eggs, and other snakes
Wild Lifespan
10-22 years
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN)
⚖️ Compare
Milk Snake
Human
Adult Size
2-4 feet (60-120 cm) depending on subspecies
5-6 feet (150-185 cm); ~135-200 lbs
Wild Lifespan
10-22 years
~73 years (global average)
Wild Diet
Rodents, lizards, birds, eggs, and other snakes
Omnivorous - eats just about anything
Native Range
North and Central America (Canada to Ecuador)
Global - originated in Africa roughly 300,000 years ago
Natural Habitat
Rocky hillsides, woodland, grassland, farmland, and forest edges
Everywhere from arctic tundra to tropical megacities
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN)
Least Concern (8+ billion and counting)
🧠 Test Yourself
What's the Milk Snake's native range?
🤩 Fun Facts
🐍 Tongue Sniffers
Snakes smell with their tongues! They flick their forked tongue to collect chemical particles from the air, then press it into the Jacobson's organ on the roof of their mouth to 'read' the smells.
Subscribe - it's free
New animal facts and care guides straight to your inbox. No spam. 🐾
🤓 Did You Know?
Milk snakes are harmless, but their red, black, and yellow banding mimics the deadly coral snake: a survival trick called Batesian mimicry. The rhyme 'Red touch yellow, kill a fellow; red touch black, friend of Jack' helps tell them apart!
Explore More