Speckled Kingsnake

Lampropeltis getula holbrooki

The Speckled Kingsnake is one of Missouri’s constrictor snakes. They are found throughout Louisianna, Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri. Some other members include the red milk snake, black rat snake, the western fox snake, the Great Plains rat snake, the bullsnake, and the prairie kingsnake. They are all members of the “non-venomous” family, Colubridae.

They mainly eat rodents, birds and bird eggs, but kingsnakes also eat lizards and other species of snakes.  Constrictors overpower their prey by grabbing the prey then wrapping a couple or more times around the animal until it can no longer breathe and ceases to struggle.  This allows the constrictor to swallow the prey without being damaged in the process. They are partially immune to the venom of our native snakes so the young rattlesnakes, coral snakes and cottonmouths make up part of their diet.

The Speckled Kingsnake is basically all black but a white spot on each scale makes it appear to be speckled and giving it the name Speckled King snake.  The belly is generally a light yellow with darker blotches.

Speckled Kingsnakes at Camp

At Cub Creek Science Camp we have a Speckled Kingsnake named Carly. Carly lives in the Reptile Room of the Animal Learning Center along with the other reptiles.