Kingsnake

A nonvenomous snake in the genus Lampropeltis, native mainly to the Americas. Kingsnakes kill prey by constriction and often eat other snakes, including venomous species.

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Constriction: A method of killing prey by wrapping around it and restricting circulation or breathing. Kingsnakes coil around prey and tighten until it can no longer survive.
Lampropeltis: A genus of nonvenomous colubrid snakes native to the Americas. Kingsnake is the common name for snakes in this genus.
Biological pest control: The use of living organisms to reduce populations of unwanted species. By eating rodents, kingsnakes can contribute to natural control of some pests.
Scarlet kingsnake: A small, brightly banded Lampropeltis species native to the southeastern United States. Its red, black, and pale bands are frequently confused with those of coral snakes.
Snake: An elongated, limbless reptile belonging to the suborder Serpentes. Kingsnakes share the defining anatomy and evolutionary history of snakes.
Ophiophagy: The practice of eating snakes. Other snakes are a distinctive part of many kingsnakes’ diets.
Colubridae: A large family of snakes that includes many nonvenomous species. Lampropeltis belongs to this family of snakes.
Pet snake: A snake kept in human care, commonly in a secure enclosure. Kingsnakes are commonly kept because many adapt well to captive care.
Desert kingsnake: A pale-patterned kingsnake found in arid parts of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Its coloration demonstrates how kingsnake patterns vary across environments.
Colubrid: A member of Colubridae, a diverse family of snakes. Kingsnakes are colubrids, linking them to a broad range of snake forms.