Got Milk Snakes?

Wild in the Woods, our annual Members' Day, will be held September 11 at Bear Run Nature Reserve. This year, April Claus, a biology teacher at the University of Pittsburgh, will present a program on snakes and other reptiles native to western Pennsylvania. One of the species she will introduce is the eastern milk snake.

The eastern milk snake averages 25-30 inches in length, and is characterized by an ornate pattern of reddish brown, black-bordered saddles on the dorsal surface, alternating with the same pattern on the sides. The background color is usually light gray to pale yellow, while the belly is a striking black and white checkerboard pattern. The young have a lighter background coloration with dark red saddle blotches.

Milk snakes often forage around farm sheds and barns, but live in many different kinds of environments with the exception of especially dry habitats. Milk snakes eat mostly small mammals, but will also eat birds, eggs and other reptiles. When threatened, they coil into a tight ball or may vibrate their tail and strike. The eastern milk snake receives its name from the folklore and misnomer that this snake milks cows. Its many sharp teeth and know diet of rodents make that an unlikely assumption.

Text reference: Indiana-Purdue University, Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management. Today's photo of a juvenile milk snake is by Tom Diez.

For more information about Wild in the Woods, call 724-329-8501 or visit our web site.

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