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  Barksdale AFB, Bossier Parish, La.  Photo: Mike Monlezun

Common name: Louisiana milksnake
Generic name: Lampropeltis triangulum amaura (Cope, 1861)
Adult length: 16 - 22 inches
Complete range: Southern Arkansas and se. Oklahoma to the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana.
see RANGE MAP for range in Louisiana

The Louisiana milksnake is one of the smaller members of the genus Lampropeltis.   They can be found almost throughout the state, occuring west of the Mississippi River.  It is replaced east of the river by the scarlet kingsnake Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides.

Most specimens are under 2 feet long and the intensity of the colors and the width of the black bands can vary quite a bit.  This specimen was caught on the east reservation at Barksdale AFB in northwest LA.  The red portion of the pattern is also variable.  Two animals that were collected not more than 50 yards apart were quite different.  The red on one of them encroached the belly and the other had no red on the belly.  The thick black border on the red completely enclosed the red and made saddles instead of rings.

Please send comments and/or questions to kj@kingsnake.kingsnake.com

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