This is one of Missouri's most beautifully colored snakes. General body color is white or light tan with red or orange markings bordered with black. The belly is white and strongly checked with black. The red milk snake often is misidentified as a coral snake, which is not found in Missouri. Coral snakes have red bands bordered by yellow. The milk snake was so named for the myth that it had the ability to nurse milk from cattle.

This information was taken from http://mdc.mo.gov

 

At Cub Creek Science Camp campers may find the Red Milk Snake in the wild on one of the animal safaris during Science Camp.  We often catch one to keep during the summer for educational purposes.