They are hardly ever seen during the day and prefer to hide under logs during the heat of the day. The milksnake breeds in early spring and lays 2 to 17 eggs that hatch in 28 to 39 days. The newly-hatched look identical to the fully-grown adults, though are much brighter. They have smooth shiny scales with black-bordered brown-red markings on a tan or whitish-gray background. The eastern milksnake is fairly widespread in Missouri. Milksnakes get their name from an old folk tale that describes a snake sneaking into a barn and drinking the milk from nursing cows. Eastern milksnake Eastern milksnake image by Peter Paplanus via Flickr | CC BY 2.0 When threatened, kingsnakes will shake their tail like a rattlesnake and expel foul-smelling musk and feces.ģ. They prefer wet moist environments and like to hide under rocks, logs, and what could be considered junk. Speckled kingsnakes live in heavy woodlands to open prairie and lowlands. They are also resistant to the venom of pit-vipers and commonly eat rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths with no ill effects.
Similar to other types of kingsnakes, this species eats other snakes, lizards, rodents, birds, and turtle eggs. Kingsnakes typically mate in the spring and lay 3-24 eggs which hatch in early August or September. Speckled kingsnakes are black with yellow spots, and their belly is checkered with bold yellow and black blocks. Speckled kingsnakes are also called flecked snakes or salt and pepper snakes. They can be found throughout most of Missouri, though they aren’t as common in the northern third of the state. The speckled kingsnake is a subspecies of the eastern kingsnake. Speckled kingsnake Speckled king snake image by Peter Paplanus via Flickr | CC BY 2.0 Kingsnakes are not considered dangerous, but are routinely killed by people who mistake them for copperheads or other venomous snakes.Ģ. They’re often found in fields, prairies, woodlots, and rocky hillsides. The prairie kingsnake eats mice and other small mammals, but they have also been known to eat lizards, smaller snakes, amphibians, small birds, and sometimes insects. They typically hunt during the day, but during the peak of summer, they actually become more nocturnal. 6 to 18 eggs are laid, but won’t hatch until August or September. Their mating season is in early spring, after coming out of their winter dormancy. The young are vibrantly spotted, which fades over time. The belly is a cream or yellow color with brown blotches. This elusive snake is usually tan to brownish gray, with brown or rusty blotches down the back.
They can grow up to 4 and a half feet in total length. The prairie kingsnake, also known as the yellow-bellied kingsnake, are found throughout the state of Missouri. Scientific name: Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster
Prairie kingsnake Prairie king snake image by Peter Paplanus via Flickr | CC BY 2.0 The 6 types of kingsnakes found in Missouri are the prairie kingsnake, speckled kingsnake, eastern milk snake, western milk snake, red milksnake, and the eastern black kingsnake which is newly discovered in the state. Since milk snakes fall under the kingsnake Genus, they’ll be included on this list. In this article, we’ll learn about the 6 species of kingsnakes and milksnakes found in the state of Missouri. Some are solid black like the Mexican black kingsnake, while some are very colorful like the scarlet kingsnake. Different species grow to different sizes and have very different markings. Kingsnakes are considered to be snake-eaters, which is how they got their name. In this article though, we’ll be looking at the types of kingsnakes in Missouri.Īll kingsnakes are non-venomous constrictors that feed primarily on other snakes, even venomous ones. Missouri, like most other states in America, is home to many of these types of snakes. There are a total of around 50 different species of snakes found in the United States.
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