scarlet king snake

The scarlet king snake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) is a non-venomous snake found in the eastern and southeastern United States. It is often mistaken for the venomous coral snake due to its red, black, and yellow banding. A key distinguishing feature is that the scarlet king snake has black bands separating the red and yellow bands, while coral snakes have red and yellow bands touching. Scarlet king snakes typically measure between 14 to 27 inches in length.1

Another snake, the scarlet snake (Cemophora coccinea), also shares similar red, black, and white or yellow rings and is sometimes called a false coral snake. Both the scarlet snake and the scarlet king snake are thought to mimic the coral snake, and all three species inhabit the same areas.2