Eastern Milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum (LaCépède, 1789) triangulum    Synonyms: Eastern Milk Snake.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Reptilia   >   Order Squamata   >   Family Colubridae   >   Genus Lampropeltis   

Status:

The Eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum) ranges through a great variety of habitats, from woodland, field edges, powerline rights-of-way, to wetlands and marshes, farmland, to rocky slopes, and dense mats of vegetation. This snake is a versatile predator of a wide range of prey (mostly small mammals, reptiles/amphibians, and various eggs), which it often seeks out under cover objects or in vegetation. The name "milk snake" stems from an old wives tale suggesting that these snakes, frequently sighted around or in barns, would suckle from the udders of dairy cattle. In reality, they are of course seeking rodents. This subspecies is found roughly from the Fall Line through the piedmont, into western Maryland. It is replaced by another subspecies on the coastal plain (Tennant, 2003; Maryland DNR site).

There are 242 records in the project database.

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An Eastern Milksnake in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/23/2015). Photo by Justin Lee. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Frederick Co., Maryland (5/5/2018). Photo by Jakob Cackowski. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Frederick Co., Maryland (5/5/2018). Photo by Jakob Cackowski. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/17/2017). Photo by Justin Lee. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Allegany Co., Maryland (5/21/2011). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/30/2017). Photo by Justin Lee. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (9/24/2021). (c) Benji Beluga, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Ben Springer. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (9/24/2021). (c) Benji Beluga, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Ben Springer. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Frederick Co., Maryland (5/13/2014). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Montgomery Co., Maryland (9/11/2016). Photo by Justin Lee. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/18/2014). (c) Pat Treece, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by ptreece via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Allegany Co., Maryland (5/17/2022). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. Photo by Kyle Klotz. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/30/2006). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Harford Co., Maryland (4/28/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Harford Co., Maryland (4/28/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/19/2014). Photo by Justin Lee. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Carroll Co., Maryland (4/28/2018). (c) National Aquarium, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by National Aquarium via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Allegany Co., Maryland (5/17/2022). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. Photo by Kyle Klotz. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Montgomery Co., Maryland (11/8/2014). Photo by Justin Lee. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/27/2019). (c) jraiford, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by jraiford via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Frederick Co., Maryland (4/14/2014). (c) Wayne G Hildebrand, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne G Hildebrand via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Montgomery Co., Maryland (11/14/2014). (c) blakek, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by blakek via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Carroll Co., Maryland (7/30/2017). Photo by Don Jewell. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Baltimore City, Maryland (9/23/2012). (c) bsteer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by bsteer via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/7/2023). (c) hingstonm1, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by hingstonm1 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Baltimore Co., Maryland (5/26/2014). Photo by Warren Wilson. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Harford Co., Maryland (11/28/2015). Photo by John Landers. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/22/2019). (c) kyle klotz, all rights reserved. Photo by Kyle Klotz. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Harford Co., Maryland (4/28/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

An Eastern Milksnake in Allegany Co., Maryland (11/4/2017). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Calvert Co., Maryland (6/8/2008). (c) bobbyfingers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by bobbyfingers via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/25/2018). (c) mcrembold, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by mcrembold via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/17/2022). (c) Kyle Klotz, all rights reserved. Photo by Kyle Klotz. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Allegany Co., Maryland (10/15/2020). (c) rebekaht79, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by rebekaht79 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Garrett Co., Maryland (5/3/2022). (c) Alina Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Alina Martin via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Cecil Co., Maryland (8/21/2020). (c) Romain Clément, all rights reserved. Photo by romainclem via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/28/2009). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Eastern Milksnake in Frederick Co., Maryland (6/28/2009). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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