‹ Compare two snakes
Eastern Milksnake vs Western Milksnake
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(c) Daniel J. Layton, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Eastern Milksnake
Lampropeltis triangulum
Non-venomous(c) Aiva Noringseth, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Western Milksnake
Lampropeltis gentilis
Non-venomousThe quick way to tell
Look at the pattern on the back. The Western Milksnake has bright red or orange bands, each edged in black and separated by white or cream bands. The Eastern Milksnake has a gray or tan body with rows of reddish-brown blotches edged in black.
Pattern ★ This settles it
Reddish-brown saddles edged in black on gray; checkerboard belly.
Red or orange bands or saddles, each bordered by black, with white or pale bands in between. The bands may reach onto the belly, which is white with black marks.
Head
Small head, often with a pale Y or V mark on the back of it.
Small head, not much wider than the neck. The head may be black with a whitish snout, or red with a few black marks and a white snout.
Eyes
Round pupil, small dark eye; no heat-sensing pit.
Small eyes with round pupils.
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.
Short and thin, and keeps the same red, black and white banding as the body.
What it does
Vibrates its tail and musks; often found in basements and walls.
Usually calm when handled, but may shake its tail or strike when disturbed. Spends much of its time hidden under rocks or underground.
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.
The Great Plains and western US: from Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma west to Arizona and Utah, and north to Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota. Also reaches northern Mexico.