Coral Snake vs Milk Snake

The quick tellOn a US coral snake red touches yellow and the snout is black. On a milk snake red touches black, and many northern milk snakes are blotched rather than ringed.

Photo: Norman.benton, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Eastern coral snake

Dangerous · Micrurus fulvius

Red, yellow and black rings; red rings touch yellow ones
Black snout followed by a wide yellow band
Rings go all the way around the body
Slim, with a small head

Size: 20–30 in. Habitat: Sandy pine woods and hammocks of the Southeast.

Its venom attacks the nervous system and symptoms can take hours to show. Any bite is a medical emergency.

Photo (Eastern milk snake): Peter Paplanus from St. Louis, Missouri, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Milk snake

Harmless · Lampropeltis triangulum complex

In the Northeast: tan or gray with red-brown blotches outlined in black
In the South and West: red, black and yellow or white rings, red touching black
Smooth shiny scales, round pupils

Size: 24–36 in. Habitat: Fields, woods and rocky slopes over most of the country.

Not venomous.

Where each one lives

Eastern coral snake only
Milk snake only
Both
Neither

Eastern coral snake: 7 states. Milk snake: 41 states. Both live in 7 states.

Side by side

	Eastern coral snake	Milk snake
Danger	Dangerous	Harmless
Size	20–30 in	24–36 in
States	7	41
Habitat	Sandy pine woods and hammocks of the Southeast	Fields, woods and rocky slopes over most of the country

Questions

How can you tell a eastern coral snake from a milk snake?

On a US coral snake red touches yellow and the snout is black. On a milk snake red touches black, and many northern milk snakes are blotched rather than ringed.

Which one is dangerous?

The eastern coral snake: dangerous. The milk snake: harmless. If you are not sure, keep your distance and do not handle it.

Where do both live?

Both live in 7 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.