This past friday I was mowing, and, as usual, saw multiple small snakes. Unfortunately, I didn't stop in time after spotting one, but did happen to locate a section that had remained intact. The background color was a very light grey, with milk chocolate brown bars in the center, forming a railroad track sort of pattern.
On the very next pass, I spotted another snake, and managed to catch it. The overall shape was like a hatchling corn snake, in that the neck was a bit thinner than the body, with the head about the same width as the body. It's eye's were as large as a corn's though. I don't remember the pattern very well, to be honest, but I do seem to recall it being composed mainly of blotchy saddles. After a bit of research, the closest match I can make for this one is a young Prairie kingsnake. It certainly wasn't very happy with me picking it up, first striking at my fingers, then wriggling around until I put it in a dry minnow bucket. From pictures I've seen, and lack of musk, I don't think it was a young black rat snake.
So does anyone have ideas as to what these two snakes may have been? I've never seen any kingsnakes on my property, but they have been reported in the area. Thanks!
