Eastern Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula)

Description: A large, smooth-scaled snake, usually 90–122 cm (36–48 in) long, with glossy black coloration and distinctive white or yellow chain-link crossbands that connect along the sides. This bold pattern has given rise to the name “chain kingsnake.” Band width varies geographically: Coastal Plain individuals usually have wide bands, while those from mountainous areas may have very thin bands or appear nearly solid black. Kingsnakes have a short, broad head, small dark eyes, and an undivided anal plate. A subspecies occurs near the Georgia mountains called the Eastern Black Kingsnake (L. nigra) and can lack crossbands.

Range and Habitat: Widespread throughout the eastern United States, north to New Jersey, and present across all of Georgia and South Carolina. Occupies a wide range of habitats including pine and hardwood forests, swamps, bottomlands, hammocks, tidal wetlands, farmland, and suburban landscapes. Strongly terrestrial but often associated with areas near water, such as stream banks and swamp margins. Frequently encountered under boards, tin, or other cover objects.

Habits: Primarily diurnal, most active in the mornings during hot summer months. Like other kingsnakes, they are powerful constrictors with a varied diet that includes snakes, lizards, rodents, birds, and turtle eggs. Notably resistant to pit-viper venom and known to prey on copperheads, cottonmouths, and rattlesnakes. Defensive behaviors include tail vibration, musking, and biting when they are first captured, though they usually calm quickly and adapt well to captivity. Breeding occurs in spring; males bite females on the neck during copulation. Females deposit 3–24 eggs beneath debris or in decaying logs in early summer, with hatching occurring in August–September.

Conservation Status: Protected in Georgia but not in most other states. Although still common in many regions, local declines have been documented, particularly in parts of the Coastal Plain and Florida. A long-term study at the Savannah River Site has shown a dramatic decline of kingsnakes over the past two decades. Potential threats include habitat loss, imported fire ants, disease, and other poorly understood factors.