Eastern Corn Snake
(Elaphe guttata)
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Eastern Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata) |
Color Photograph: © Corel Corp.
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Elaphe slowinskii This species lacks the yellow to orange tones of the Eastern Corn Snake. Its distribution includes western Louisiana, eatern Texas, and south-central Arkansas.
Elaphe emoryi A brown, gray, or slightly greenish species. A denizen on the Great Plains region of the United States. Eastern Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata) Identification: Snake 24 to 73 inches in length. Ground color of body yellow-red, brown-red, to tan. Dorsum of body with a series of rectangular red to red-brown saddle-like botches. Blotches outlined with darker red to black. Two lines of red to red-brown blotches occur on each side of the body with blotches alternating with each other. Belly with square, black patches thinning to stripes toward the tail. A dark arrowhead mark is found on the top of the head. Scales smooth or weekly keeled and the anal plate is divided. Geographical Variation: None Range (see map on left): The Eastern Corn Snake is an eastern-coastal species to southeastern species. Its range extends from southern New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania in the north, southward throughout Florida and westward throughout most of the southeastern United States to eastern Louisiana. There are isolated populations in Kentucky. Habitat: This snake species lives in a wide variety of habitats, most disturbed to one degree or another. Some of these habitats are woodlots, disturbed woods, along streams and rivers, farmyards, and abandoned buildings. Food: Small mammals, birds, and bats. Behavior: The Eastern Corn Snake is nocturnal or crepuscular. It readily climbs trees. This pretty species is a favorite of snake keepers and breeders. Reproduction: The clutch consists of 3 to 20 eggs. Mating occurs between March and May and the eggs are laid from May to July.
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Eastern Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata)
Similar Species: The Eastern Corn Snake is unlikely to be confused with any other species in the eastern United States because of its red, orange, and yellow colors. The Eastern Corn Snake is closely related from two other species with separate, more western ranges: Slowinski's Corn Snake (Elaphe slowinskii) Great Plains Rat Snake (Elaphe emoryi)
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Similar Species
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