sedgequeen's Identifications

This beautiful King Snake was about 5 feet long and had recently shed its skin. We saw it for a few seconds before it disappeared into a hole on a cliff wall.

California King Snake (Lampropeltis californiae) are in the Colubrid Snakes (Colubridae) family and are harmless to humans. They constrict rather than bite their prey.

Range map/photos http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/l.californiae.html
Color and Pattern: Highly variable in appearance. Most commonly seen with alternating bands of black or brown and white or light yellow.
Diet and Feeding: Eats a wide variety of prey, including rodents and other small mammals, lizards, lizard eggs, snakes (including rattlesnakes), snake eggs, turtle eggs and hatchlings, frogs, salamanders, birds, bird eggs and chicks, and large invertebrates.
A powerful constrictor, coiling tightly around its prey.
Reproduction: Reaches sexual maturity in 3 - 4 years. California Kingsnakes are oviparous, laying eggs that are incubated, then hatch.

http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/l.californiae.html#description

Colubrid Snakes (Family Colubridae) Most colubrids are not venomous, or have venom that is not known to be harmful to humans, and are mostly harmless. A poisonous snake can hurt you if you eat it. A venomous snake can hurt you if it bites you. Some colubrids are described as opisthoglyphous "rear-fanged," meaning they have elongated, grooved teeth located in the back of their upper jaws.

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HERPS: REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS

Amphibians and Reptiles of California: https://californiaherps.com

California Snakes Range Maps: https://californiaherps.com/snakes/snakesmaps.html

Amphibians Amphibiaweb: https://amphibiaweb.org/site.html

Reptile Database (worldwide) https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/