A beautiful young Madrean Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis knoblochi) from the southeastern corner of Arizona. These colorful snakes harmless, and often seen by hikers on stream-side mountain trails in the Sky Islands region of the state.

A beautiful young Madrean Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis knoblochi) from the southeastern corner of Arizona. These colorful snakes harmless, and often seen by hikers on stream-side mountain trails in the Sky Islands region of the state.

A Madrean Mountain Kingsnake from the southeastern corner of the state. These colorful snakes can be surprisingly difficult to spot, despite their bright coloration. In the low, dappled light and noisy background of their woodland environment, there’s not a “snake shape” to see, and they’re easy to walk right by.

A Madrean Mountain Kingsnake we found in New Mexico in 2022 showing a higher degree of black in the bands than is typical.
