‹ Compare two snakes
Eastern Milksnake vs Red Cornsnake
Tap a part to see it on both. Tap it again to turn it off.
(c) Daniel J. Layton, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Eastern Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum
Non-venomousDia D, no rights reserved
Red Cornsnake
Pantherophis guttatus
Non-venomousThe quick way to tell
Look at the head markings. The Red Cornsnake has a spear-point mark that runs forward to meet between the eyes. The Eastern Milksnake has a pale Y or V patch on the back of the head instead.
Head ★ This settles it
Small head, often with a pale Y or V mark on the back of it.
Narrow head with a spear-point marking running forward between the eyes.
Pattern
Reddish-brown saddles edged in black on gray; checkerboard belly.
Bold red-orange saddles edged in black on orange to gray; black-and-white checkerboard belly.
Eyes
Round pupil, small dark eye; no heat-sensing pit.
Round pupil, orange-brown iris; no heat-sensing pit.
Pits
None. There is no pit between the eye and the nostril.
None. There is no pit between the eye and the nostril.
Tail
Tapers evenly; no rattle - but it vibrates the tip.
Tapers evenly, often striped underneath; no rattle.
What it does
Vibrates its tail and musks; often found in basements and walls.
Calm and slow to bite; freezes or slips into cover.
Where it lives
Northeast and Midwest: Maine and Ontario west to Minnesota and Iowa, south through the Appalachians to northern Georgia and Alabama, and down the Mississippi valley to Missouri, northern Arkansas and eastern Kansas.
Southeast: New Jersey south through Florida, west to Louisiana, Tennessee and Kentucky.