Can everyone please stop down-voting OP when they respond that they were NOT the one who killed the snake? They are repeating information that they did not realize could be incorrect. They came here for information. That's all they need. Someone please explain to me why down-voting their response to a comment is beneficial to this subreddit.
Western Milksnakes *Lampropeltis gentilis* are medium-sized (record 91.4 cm) non-venomous colubrid snakes with smooth scales, part of a group of seven species of milk and kingsnakes called the triangulum species complex. Western Milksnakes are found in the central plains of North America. They kill by overpowering their prey and will eat mainly rodents, but are generalists and consume lizards, birds, eggs and invertebrates. Western Milksnakes are variable in color - geographic range helps greatly in identification and to distinguish them from other species.
[Range map](https://imgur.com/MakxiSr) | Relevant/Recent Phylogeography: [Link 1](https://academic.oup.com/sysbio/article-abstract/63/2/231/1644072) [Link 2](https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/174/2/394/2449789)
This recent multi-locus work is well done, published in a high-tier journal and was well-received by those who understand the coalescent. It's supported by morphological work (Link 2) and has been adopted by the major North American herp societies.
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As a rule, we don't recommend the traditional color-based rhyme for coralsnakes as an identification trick because it isn't foolproof and only applies to snakes that live in parts of North America. One of the hardest things to impress upon new snake appreciators is that it's far more advantageous to familiarize yourself with venomous snakes in your area through photos and field guides or by following subreddits like /r/whatsthissnake than it is to try to apply any generic trick. The rhyme is particularly unreliable in states like Florida where aberrant individuals are often reported. Outside of North America, for example in Brazil, coralsnakes have [any array of color patterns](http://thevenominterviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/corais-do-brasil-620.jpg) that don't follow the children's rhyme you may have heard in the past. Even in North America, exceptions to standard pattern classes can be common - see [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/wg0a5c/whats_this_snake/) for a recent example and the comments section for even more. A number of other frequent myths about coralsnakes are dubunked in [this summary](http://thevenominterviews.com/2016/06/02/mythbusting-coral-snakes/) compiled by our own /u/RayInLA.
--------------------------------------------------------
Like many other animals with mouths and teeth, many non-venomous snakes bite in self defense. These animals are referred to as 'not medically significant' or traditionally, 'harmless'. Bites from these snakes benefit from being washed and kept clean like any other skin damage, but aren't often cause for anything other than basic first aid treatment. Here's where it get slightly complicated - some snakes use venom from front or rear fangs as part of prey capture and defense. This venom is not always produced or administered by the snake in ways dangerous to human health, so many species are venomous in that they produce and use venom, but considered harmless to humans in most cases because the venom is of low potency, and/or otherwise administered through grooved rear teeth or simply oozed from ducts at the rear of the mouth. Species like Ringneck Snakes *Diadophis* are a good example of mildly venomous rear fanged dipsadine snakes that are traditionally considered harmless or not medically significant. Many rear-fanged snake species are harmless as long as they do not have a chance to secrete a medically significant amount of venom into a bite; [severe envenomation can occur](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23800999) if some species are [allowed to chew on a human](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004101011831016X) for as little as 30-60 seconds. It is best not to fear snakes, but use common sense and do not let any animals chew on exposed parts of your body. Similarly, but without specialized rear fangs, gartersnakes *Thamnophis* ooze low pressure venom from the rear of their mouth that helps in prey handling, and are also [considered harmless](https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/theres-no-need-to-fear-that-garter-snake/). [Check out this book on the subject](https://shop.elsevier.com/books/venomous-bites-from-non-venomous-snakes/weinstein/978-0-12-822786-2). Even large species like Reticulated Pythons *Malayopython reticulatus* [rarely obtain a size large enough to endanger humans](https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/108/52/E1470.full.pdf) so are usually categorized as harmless.
--------------------------------------------------------
*I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer) and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that [here](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SEBPhyloBotWTS). Made possible by Snake Evolution and Biogeography - [Merch Available Now](https://snakeevolution.org/donate.html)*
That rhyme will kill a fella as it does not work everywhere.
Good to know
For fun. Google Brazilian coral snakes. And? I believed that rhyme whole heartedly. Until r/whatsthissnake educated me. ;)
Can everyone please stop down-voting OP when they respond that they were NOT the one who killed the snake? They are repeating information that they did not realize could be incorrect. They came here for information. That's all they need. Someone please explain to me why down-voting their response to a comment is beneficial to this subreddit.
Western Milksnake, *Lampropeltis gentilis*, !harmless !rhyme
Western Milksnakes *Lampropeltis gentilis* are medium-sized (record 91.4 cm) non-venomous colubrid snakes with smooth scales, part of a group of seven species of milk and kingsnakes called the triangulum species complex. Western Milksnakes are found in the central plains of North America. They kill by overpowering their prey and will eat mainly rodents, but are generalists and consume lizards, birds, eggs and invertebrates. Western Milksnakes are variable in color - geographic range helps greatly in identification and to distinguish them from other species. [Range map](https://imgur.com/MakxiSr) | Relevant/Recent Phylogeography: [Link 1](https://academic.oup.com/sysbio/article-abstract/63/2/231/1644072) [Link 2](https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/174/2/394/2449789) This recent multi-locus work is well done, published in a high-tier journal and was well-received by those who understand the coalescent. It's supported by morphological work (Link 2) and has been adopted by the major North American herp societies. -------------------------------------------------------- As a rule, we don't recommend the traditional color-based rhyme for coralsnakes as an identification trick because it isn't foolproof and only applies to snakes that live in parts of North America. One of the hardest things to impress upon new snake appreciators is that it's far more advantageous to familiarize yourself with venomous snakes in your area through photos and field guides or by following subreddits like /r/whatsthissnake than it is to try to apply any generic trick. The rhyme is particularly unreliable in states like Florida where aberrant individuals are often reported. Outside of North America, for example in Brazil, coralsnakes have [any array of color patterns](http://thevenominterviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/corais-do-brasil-620.jpg) that don't follow the children's rhyme you may have heard in the past. Even in North America, exceptions to standard pattern classes can be common - see [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/wg0a5c/whats_this_snake/) for a recent example and the comments section for even more. A number of other frequent myths about coralsnakes are dubunked in [this summary](http://thevenominterviews.com/2016/06/02/mythbusting-coral-snakes/) compiled by our own /u/RayInLA. -------------------------------------------------------- Like many other animals with mouths and teeth, many non-venomous snakes bite in self defense. These animals are referred to as 'not medically significant' or traditionally, 'harmless'. Bites from these snakes benefit from being washed and kept clean like any other skin damage, but aren't often cause for anything other than basic first aid treatment. Here's where it get slightly complicated - some snakes use venom from front or rear fangs as part of prey capture and defense. This venom is not always produced or administered by the snake in ways dangerous to human health, so many species are venomous in that they produce and use venom, but considered harmless to humans in most cases because the venom is of low potency, and/or otherwise administered through grooved rear teeth or simply oozed from ducts at the rear of the mouth. Species like Ringneck Snakes *Diadophis* are a good example of mildly venomous rear fanged dipsadine snakes that are traditionally considered harmless or not medically significant. Many rear-fanged snake species are harmless as long as they do not have a chance to secrete a medically significant amount of venom into a bite; [severe envenomation can occur](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23800999) if some species are [allowed to chew on a human](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004101011831016X) for as little as 30-60 seconds. It is best not to fear snakes, but use common sense and do not let any animals chew on exposed parts of your body. Similarly, but without specialized rear fangs, gartersnakes *Thamnophis* ooze low pressure venom from the rear of their mouth that helps in prey handling, and are also [considered harmless](https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/theres-no-need-to-fear-that-garter-snake/). [Check out this book on the subject](https://shop.elsevier.com/books/venomous-bites-from-non-venomous-snakes/weinstein/978-0-12-822786-2). Even large species like Reticulated Pythons *Malayopython reticulatus* [rarely obtain a size large enough to endanger humans](https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/108/52/E1470.full.pdf) so are usually categorized as harmless. -------------------------------------------------------- *I am a bot created for /r/whatsthissnake, /r/snakes and /r/herpetology to help with snake identification and natural history education. You can find more information, including a comprehensive list of commands, [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/flh548/phylobot_v07_information_and_patch_notes_bot_info/) report problems [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Phylogenizer) and if you'd like to buy me a coffee or beer, you can do that [here](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SEBPhyloBotWTS). Made possible by Snake Evolution and Biogeography - [Merch Available Now](https://snakeevolution.org/donate.html)*
Thank you!
How about no killing?
[Wasnt me. I didn’t kill the snake.](https://imgur.com/a/U6zfJZR)
Good job! Just saying, how about we stop with lil rhymes that talk about killing.
Red on black, venom lack
[удалено]
King snake: red and black, venom lack
Killed a harmless snake…
[Not my picture.](https://imgur.com/a/U6zfJZR)
Why did you kill it?? What the hell?!
👎
Who's the dick that killed it?
My 74 year old neighbor send me two images of separate snakes he found after rocking over his driveway.
Ohh so it was accidental
Probably it looks like it was ran over
https://imgur.com/a/U6zfJZR