Red Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum syspila
Size
24–36 in
Status
Uncommon
Venomous
No
Region
Southern Indiana
A boldly banded, harmless snake often mistaken for a venomous coral snake — which does not live in Indiana. Secretive and rarely seen.
Identification
A pale gray to cream snake with large red or red-brown saddles or bands bordered in black. The head usually shows a light Y- or V-shaped mark. Adults reach 2–3 feet. Its blotched pattern and smooth, glossy scales are distinctive.
Habitat & Diet
Lives in rocky wooded hillsides, glades, and old fields, hiding under rocks and logs. It eats small rodents, lizards, and other snakes, killed by constriction.
Conservation in Indiana
Uncommon and secretive; often only found by turning cover objects. It benefits from undisturbed rocky woodland habitat.
Similar Species & Taxonomy
The Red Milksnake resembles the Scarletsnake but has red or orange saddles bordered in black on a pale ground, a Y or V mark on the nape, and black-and-white checkering on the belly. A milksnake (family Colubridae). A 2014 genetic revision split the very wide-ranging milksnake, Lampropeltis triangulum, into several species; Indiana's Red and Eastern milksnakes are retained within L. triangulum.
United States Range Map Distribution
Distribution in Indiana
