Identification of this snake would be simple were it not for the fact that several harmless snakes resemble it in form and coloration. These mimics are marked with yellow, red and black rings—but the arrangement is consistently different from that of the coral snake. The red and yellow rings of the coral snake touch one another, while in the harmless forms these colors are separated by black rings. A simple rhyme adopted by Boy Scouts to help them associate “danger” with the color combination found on the coral snake is, “Red and yellow kill a fellow.” Remember this easy rhyme and, when you find yourself involved with a colorful little snake with adjacent red and yellow rings, be cautious.
The harmless kind most closely resembling the coral snake probably is the Mexican milk snake, technically known as Lampropeltis doliata annulata and found south of Kerrville. The head of this snake normally is black. Body and tail are marked with a series of from 19 to 25 narrow yellow rings bordered by slightly wider black rings. The red rings on the body are just as wide as the combined yellow and two adjacent black rings. Another of these mimics is the western milk snake (Lampropeltis doliata gentilis), a small species usually less than two feet long, which is native to central and western Texas. It has a pattern of from 25 to 40 yellow rings which are bordered by black. The red rings are separated from the yellow by black rings. All rings on this form are very narrow. In the southeastern part of the state is found still another of these mimics—the Louisiana milk snake (Lampropeltis doliata amaura). Rarely reaching a length of two feet, this form has a pattern of narrow yellow rings which are bordered on each side by narrow black rings. The much wider red rings are separated from the yellow by the black rings. In the scarlet snake (Cemophora coccinea) of eastern and coastal Texas, the pattern is a series of wide red blotches bordered by much narrower black bands. The yellow bands, about half the width of the red ones, are separated from them by the black bands. The belly is unmarked white or yellow. Adults are about a foot and a half long but a 25-inch specimen is on record.
Size—The coral snake is generally less than two and a half feet long with a body diameter of about three-eights of an inch. The largest known specimen is nearly 42 inches long and was collected on the mid-Texas coast.
Young—This is the only poisonous Texas snake which lays eggs. From two to nine eggs constitute the egg complement of this form.
Distribution—This snake is known in the following counties: Angelina, Aransas, Atascosa, Austin, Bandera, Bastrop, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Bosque, Brazoria, Brazos, Brooks, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Colorado, Comal, Dallas, DeWitt, Duval, Ellis, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hays, Henderson, Hidalgo, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jim Hogg, Karnes, Kendall, Kenedy, Kerr, Kleberg, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Live Oak, Llano, Mason, Matagorda, McLennan, Milam, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Palo Pinto, Panola, Polk, Real, Refugio, Robertson, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Sutton, Tarrant, Terrell, Tom Green, Travis, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Wharton, Willacy, Williamson, and Wilson.
Unlike most other poisonous snakes, this species is a burrower, coming to the surface after a warm rain to feed upon small lizards and snakes. Contrary to even expert opinion, it is not primarily nocturnal, but becomes active during daylight and evening hours. It is often found in or under decaying logs or other trash, especially in damp regions; in the San Antonio area, specimens frequently are found under flagstones near homes.
In spite of its inoffensive nature, the coral snake is no different from other snakes in that it will bite if stepped upon or restrained. It does not deliberately coil and strike with accuracy like the pit vipers. Instead, it swings the forward part of the body from side to side until it can secure a hold to bite and then begins a chewing motion to imbed its short fangs.
The notion that its mouth is too small to bite effectively has in some instances resulted in careless disregard for its deadliness. It is true that the head appears very short and the mouth not capable of opening widely. Actually, the skull is rather elongated and the mouth can be opened to a greater degree than might be expected. Even when it bites a relatively flat surface, such as the back of the hand, the snake’s closing mouth will pinch the skin, allowing the fangs to penetrate.