Mole Kingsnake

Lampropeltis rhombomaculata

Reptiles & AmphibiansIn the app

A mid-sized snake reaching 30-40 inches in length with smooth scales. It has a smallish, narrow head, and a mildly defined neck. It is typically greyish brown with irregu…

How to identify

A mid-sized snake reaching 30-40 inches in length with smooth scales. It has a smallish, narrow head, and a mildly defined neck. It is typically greyish brown with irregular orange, red, or brown blotches down the length of its body. Its ventrum is pale with a light orange random checkered pattern. Juveniles are more vibrantly patterned than adults.

Range

Scattered throughout the mid-Atlantic coastal states, from Maryland through South Carolina. Also sporadically found in central Tennessee, northern Alabama, western Georgia, and the Florida panhandle.

Habitat

They thrive in open areas like fields, barnyards, prairies, farmland, rocky hillsides, thickets, open woodland, Flatwoods, and pastures. Habitats with dry, loose soil and a permanent source of water. Mole kingsnakes spend a lot of time underground and are very secretive. They can also be found in residential areas. They feed primarily on rodents, their diet also includes small mammals and other small animals like bird, lizards and other snakes. The breeding period is at the end of spring to early summer and females lay up to 17 eggs. The eggs are laid underground in the summer and hatch in late summer to early fall.