Ok, here's a dumb question. Can anyone give me a simple, layman's terms explanation of the difference between a milk snake and a king snake? I'd really appreciate it.
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milks and kings
spiderchick
Jan 09, 2006 03:59 PM
Replies (6)
davester
Jan 09, 2006 05:20 PM
Because they "MILK" cows
!!
Actually they are a Kingsnake(Lampropeltis), but there are 25 subspecies of Milksnake(Lampropeltis Triangulum) also known as Tri-colors with a three-ringed color pattern.
spiderchick
Jan 09, 2006 09:19 PM
Well, that's simple! Thanks!
stevep
Jan 10, 2006 10:42 AM
Well ... may not be that simple. There are also tri colored mountain kings!! And then you get milks with stripes & spots!!
Have fun
Steve
spiderchick
Jan 10, 2006 01:37 PM
Silly scientists and their naming things!
Thanks, guys.
mci
Jan 12, 2006 11:54 PM
There are several species of kingsnake. Milk snakes are one of them.
A herpetologist would identify a milk snake primarily by counting various scales. For your purposes, milk snakes tend to be more secretive and fossorial than other kings (ie they like to burrow), and most have a tricolor pattern of rings or sometimes blotches.
Milk snakes have an enormous range in north and central America. Distinct populations from different regions (subspecies) can look very different, tough they're essentially the same animal.
spiderchick
Jan 16, 2006 10:06 AM
Wow, that helps a lot. Thank you!
