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Characteristics:
* Upper body with red
and orange blotches bordered with black, separated by yellow or white bands. The belly is whitish with irregular black markings
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Two subspecies are found in South Dakota
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Red milk snake (top),red head and snout
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Pale milk snake (bottom), orange head with black flecks
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Smooth scales
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Often mistaken for the poisonous coral snake (not found in South Dakota) and often killed. "Red touch yellow kill a fellow, red touch black good for jack"
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Nonvenomous
* Diet: small
vertebrates, including snakes, lizards, and mice
* Habitat: open
prairies, sand dunes, and rocky hillsides near water sources
* Distribution: the
red milk snake is found in the extreme southeastern counties. The pale milk snake is found in the counties adjacent to and west of the Missouri River.
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