Speckled Kingsnake
HarmlessLampropeltis holbrooki · also called salt-and-pepper snake
The speckled kingsnake is the mid-south's snake-eating specialist, and its finely dotted pattern is unmistakable once seen. Like other kingsnakes it is resistant to pit viper venom and will eat copperheads and rattlesnakes.
Quick facts
- Venom
- Harmless and beneficial. Non-venomous.
- Adult length
- 36–48 inches (91–122 cm)
- Markings
- Black with a single small yellow or cream dot in the centre of nearly every scale, giving an overall salt-and-pepper appearance.
- Habitat
- grassland, farmland, wetland, woods
- Family
- colubrid
- Range
- 12 US states
How to identify a speckled kingsnake
- A yellow speck in the centre of each individual scale.
- Smooth glossy scales with no keels.
- Narrow head, round pupil.
- Often found around barns, field edges and irrigation ditches.
What it does when it sees you
Usually calm. Will musk and may vibrate the tail if picked up.
What the speckled kingsnake is confused with
One test settles each of these.
Speckled rattlesnake
Ranges barely overlap, and rattlesnakes have a rattle and a broad head. The kingsnake's speckling is one dot per scale, very regular.
Where it lives
Before anything else
- Back away and leave it alone. A snake that can see you leaving has no reason to bite. Most bites in the United States happen to people who picked up, cornered, or tried to kill a snake.
- Never handle a snake to identify it. Every identification on this site can be made from a photo or from several feet away.
- If someone is bitten, call emergency services now. Keep the limb still and below the heart, remove rings and watches, and go to hospital. Do not cut, suck, apply ice, or use a tourniquet — all of these make outcomes worse.
- Do not try to catch the snake for identification. A photo from a distance is enough, and hospitals treat symptoms rather than species.
In the US, the Poison Help line is 1-800-222-1222. This site is a reference, not medical advice.