# Red milk snake

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Subspecies of snake

Red milk snake An adult red milk snake Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Colubridae Genus: Lampropeltis Species: L. triangulum Subspecies: L. t. syspila Trinomial name Lampropeltis triangulum syspila Cope, 1889

Red milk snake from [Madison County, Iowa](/source/Madison_County%2C_Iowa)

***Lampropeltis triangulum syspila***, commonly known as the **red milk snake** or **red milksnake**, is a [subspecies](/source/Subspecies) of the [milk snake](/source/Milk_snake) *(Lampropeltis triangulum)*.[1] The nonvenomous, [colubrid](/source/Colubrid) snake is indigenous to the central United States.[2]

## Geographic range

The red milk snake is found from southern [Indiana](/source/Indiana) through northwestern [Mississippi](/source/Mississippi), western [Kentucky](/source/Kentucky), southeastern [South Dakota](/source/South_Dakota) through eastern [Oklahoma](/source/Oklahoma) and [Kansas](/source/Kansas).[3] An isolated population can be found in [Bankhead National Forest](/source/William_B._Bankhead_National_Forest) in northwestern [Alabama](/source/Alabama).[2]

## Description

Red milk snakes average 60–91 centimeters (24–36 inches) in length, although specimens as long as 132 centimeters (52 inches) have been measured. They have smooth and shiny [scales](/source/Scale_(zoology)). Their dorsal color pattern is narrow bands of white, pale gray, cream, or tan bordered by black, alternated with red dorsal saddles. Some individuals display even greater dorsal saddle color diversity, ranging from reddish brown to grayish brown. The ventrum is usually white with a black checkered pattern. The head usually has a large red blotch edged in black.[2]

## Diet

Red milk snakes are constrictors. They consume a variety of small rodents and reptiles (especially lizards).[4]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Grzimek_1-0)** Savitzky, Alan H. (2004). Hutchins, Michael; et al. (eds.). *Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia*. Vol. 7: Reptiles. Detroit: Gale. p. 478.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-repsala_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-repsala_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-repsala_2-2) Mount, Robert H. (1975). *The Reptiles and Amphibians of Alabama*. Auburn, Alabama: Auburn Printing Company. pp. 204–205. [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [1958638](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1958638).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-repdb_3-0)** ["Lampropeltis triangulum (LACÉPÈDE, 1789)"](http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Lampropeltis&species=nigra). *The Reptile Database*. Zoological Museum Hamburg. Retrieved September 29, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["kingsnake.com - The Kingsnake and Milk Snake Page - Red Milk Snake"](http://www.kingsnake.com/king/triangulum/syspila.html). *Kingsnake.com - Kingsnake and Milk Snake Page - Red Milk Snake*. Retrieved April 28, 2023.

Taxon identifiers Lampropeltis triangulum syspila Wikidata: Q6482609 Wikispecies: Lampropeltis triangulum syspila EoL: 1285383 GBIF: 5224521 iNaturalist: 29781 ITIS: 209238 NCBI: 165052

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Red milk snake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_milk_snake) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_milk_snake?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.