milksnake

(Lampropeltis triangulum)

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

N5 - Secure

S4 - Apparently Secure

Minnesota

not listed

Species in Greatest Conservation Need

 
milksnake
Photo by Jeff LeClere
 
Description

Milksnakes are highly variable in coloration but most have a light background color with dark splotches that are outlined in black. There is usually a light-colored "Y" or "V" shaped mark on the back of the neck, sometimes replaced with just a light mark. The scales are not keeled. The belly has a checkerboard pattern. There is a single anal plate.

 

Size

24 to 36

 

Similar Species

 
Habitat

Rocky hillsides; rocky areas in deciduous forests; and grassy areas near woodlands and rock outcroppings.

Biology

Behavior

Milksnakes are frequently encountered in buildings with stone foundations, including human dwellings. They are rarely found in the open during the day.

 

Lifespan

Up to 21 years

 

Life Cycle

 

 

Food

Mostly rodents, but also amphibians, birds and bird eggs, reptiles and reptile eggs, and other snakes, including venomous snakes.

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 14, 24, 29, 30, 74, 76, 78.

GBIF has three records in counties (light green on the map) well outsided of the known range of this species.

8/25/2024    
     

Occurrence

Common

Taxonomy

Class

Reptilia (reptiles)

Superorder

Lepidosauria

Order

Squamata (snakes and lizards)

Suborder

Serpentes (snakes)

Infraorder

Alethinophidia

Superfamily

Colubroidea

Family

Colubridae (colubrid snakes)

Subfamily

Colubrinae

Genus

Lampropeltis (kingsnakes and milk snakes)

   

Subordinate Taxa

This species was formerly named eastern milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum). At that time 24 subspecies of Lampropeltis triangulum were recognized. Genetic analysis by Ruan et al. in 2014 resulted in the species being separated into six species. All other subspecies are now treated as synonyms of one of the six resulting species.

   

Synonyms

Coluber doliatus

Coluber eximius

Coluber triangulum

Lampropeltis amaura

Lampropeltis doliata

Lampropeltis doliata ssp. syspila

Lampropeltis doliata ssp. temporalis

Lampropeltis doliata ssp. triangulum

Lampropeltis triangulum ssp. syspila

Lampropeltis triangulum ssp. temporalis

Lampropeltis triangulum ssp. triangulum

Ophibolus clericus

Ophibolus doliata ssp. temporalis

Ophibolus doliatus ssp. collaris

Ophibolus doliatus ssp. parallelus

Ophibolus doliatus ssp. syspilus

   

Common Names

central plains milksnake

eastern milk snake

milk snake

milksnake

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sullivan

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Jeff LeClere

milksnake   milksnake

Bayleigh Winzenburg

milksnake   milksnake
     
milksnake    
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slideshow

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Other Videos

Eastern Milk Snake
Nick Scobel

About

Published on Dec 29, 2012

Short clip on a killer spot found in Michigan earlier this spring, complete with a healthy Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum).

Eastern Milk Snake
magic skater's channel!

About

Uploaded on Nov 14, 2009

This Eastern Milk Snake was found in the LATE LATE LATE FALL. NOVEMBER 14!!!
This snake should have been hibernating, but it was a nice day out and it didnt snow yet, so i guess the snakecame out to sun itself. Found in Michigan. It is almost full grown HUGE!!

60-Second Snakes: The Eastern Milk Snake
MichiganDNR

About

Published on Jun 26, 2015

The Michigan DNR’s 60-Second Snakes video series talks about identification tips and information about Michigan’s snake species. This episode features the eastern milk snake. Learn more about the Eastern Milk snake: http://bit.ly/easternmilksnake. A special thanks to Nature Discovery (http://bit.ly/1IcfFlb) for the opportunity to film their live educational snake specimens.

Eastern milk snake MA
Sarah Carr

About

Published on Apr 14, 2015

Beautiful girl caught around 6:00 pm 04/13/15

Eastern Milk Snake | Indiana DNR
Indiana Department of Natural Resources

About

Published on Apr 2, 2015

Interpretive Naturalist Jarret Manek talks about the habits and identification of the eastern milk snake.

 

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Sullivan
8/24/2024

Location: Rochester, MN

milksnake
Bayleigh
Winzenburg

5/2/2020

Location: Minneiska, MN : Wabasha County

milksnake
Jeff LeClere
6/25/2016

Location: Scott County

milksnake
Jeff LeClere
6/3/2012

Location: Fillmore County

milksnake
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