Facts about Milk Snakes
The milk snake is a species of king snake. Milksnakes are oviparous, laying an average of about 10 eggs per clutch, although that number may vary by region. The milk snake mates from early May to late June. In June and July, the female lays three to twenty-four eggs beneath logs, boards, rocks, logs and rotting vegetation. The eggs incubate for approximately two months, and hatch around August or September. There are 25 subspecies among the milk snakes, including the commonly named scarlet kingsnake (L. t. elapsoides). The subspecies have strikingly different appearance, and many of them have their own common names. They are distributed from southeastern Canada to western Ecuador and northern Venezuela. The milk snakes grow 20 to 60 inches (50-152 cm) long. The typical color pattern of milk snakes is alternating bands of red-black-yellow or white-black-red. Red blotches instead of bands are seen in some populations. They have smooth and shiny scales. Some milk snakes have a striking resemblance to coral snakes and this mimicry (known as Batesian mimicry) likely scares away potential predators. Milksnakes have no eyelids and instead have a transparent covering that rests over their eyes called brilles to protect their eyes from dust and dirt. The brilles give them a "glassy-eyed" blank appearance. Milksnakes typically live around twelve years. Typically, milksnakes live in forested regions, however, in some regions they can be located in open prairies. In various parts of across its distribution, milksnakes often abide in rocky slopes. Milksnakes activity is mostly nocturnal. They are primarily terrestrial, except the scarlet kingsnake sometimes takes shelter under the bark of standing dead pine trees. Young milksnakes typically eat slugs, insects, and earthworms. Adult milksnake's diet frequently includes lizards (especially skinks), snakes, and small mammals. They are also known to eat birds and their eggs, frogs, fish, and other snakes. Milk Snakes are much more opportunistic eaters than the fox snake or corn snake. They have been known to consume a variety of animals including rodents, eggs, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Like other members of the king snake family, the milk snakes sometimes eat other snakes, and do have at least some immunity to their venom. An early myth about milksnakes is that they suck cow udders to get the milk. The myth is entirely false. The milksnake does not have the physical capabilities to suck milk out of a cow. Milksnakes are, however, frequently found in and around barns, making use of their cool and dark environments, and for the easily accessed populations of rodents to feed on. |
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