Eastern Milksnake

How to identify

• Gray or tan body with reddish-brown or brown blotches bordered by black
• Y or V-shaped white or yellow patch on back of head
• Smooth scales
• Round pupils
• Black-and-white checkerboard belly

About this species

The eastern milk snake is a medium-sized, patterned snake frequently mistaken for the copperhead. Its blotched pattern on a gray or tan body superficially resembles a copperhead, but milk snakes have a distinctive Y or V-shaped light patch on the back of the head and round pupils. The name comes from the old myth that they milk cows — they do not.

Often confused with

Did you know

"Milk snakes mimic the coloration of venomous coral snakes in parts of their range — a harmless species benefiting from association with a dangerous one, known as Batesian mimicry."

Sightings & citizen science

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