Eastern Black Kingsnake (Lampropeltis nigra)

Description

Size

The serpent typically grows to a length of 3-4 ft (91.44-121.92 cm). But it can grow larger. The maximum recorded size is 4.83 ft (147.32 cm).

Color and Appearance

The eastern black kingsnake is black in color with faint yellow or white speckling. The dorsum is unpatterned in some and crossbanded in others. It has the typical slender build of a kingsnake. The belly has a black and white checkered pattern. The body is covered by smooth and shiny scales, and the small head is not distinct from the neck. There is a single anal plate.

Are They Dangerous to Humans

Though secretive and non-venomous, the eastern black kingsnake can release musk, vibrate its tail, and bite if handled.

Eastern Black Kingsnakes at a Glance

Distribution

The colubrid is endemic to the south-eastern United States. To the north, it occurs in Ohio, Indiana, and southern Illinois. The western part of its range covers states like Arkansas, Missouri, and Louisiana. The distribution extends eastward but doesn’t reach the coast. Other states in its range include Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

Habitat

It lives in a wide variety of habitats, including debris piles, abandoned farmsteads, thick brush around swamps and streams, and edges of floodplains.

Lifespan

The kingsnake lives for 10-15 years on average.

Predators

Their main predators are skunks, raccoons, hawks, and opossums.

Diet

The constrictors often eat other snakes, including venomous pit vipers, as they are apparently immune to their venom. They also prey on lizards and small rodents.

Reproduction

Oviparous (lays eggs that hatch outside the body)

They breed in spring, and the females lay eggs in moist areas in early summer. The hatchlings emerge in late summer or early fall. The juveniles have irregular lateral spotting and thin crossbars. This pattern fades as they age.