Prairie kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster)
The prairie kingsnake is a non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. GBIF holds 1,438 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 16 states, most of all North Carolina (291), Kansas (262) and Oklahoma (238). Its observation records peak in May.
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Is the prairie kingsnake poisonous or venomous?
No. The prairie kingsnake is non-venomous: it belongs to the family Colubridae, not to the pit vipers or coral snakes, the only U.S. land snakes with medically dangerous venom. It may bite if handled; clean the bite like any small wound.
Which states have the prairie kingsnake?
Records are spread over 16 states; the top three, North Carolina, Kansas and Oklahoma, hold 55% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state snakes | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 291 | 1.4% | 22nd of 39 |
| 2 | Kansas | 262 | 1.8% | 17th of 44 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 238 | 1.8% | 21st of 50 |
| 4 | Texas | 238 | 0.6% | 39th of 86 |
| 5 | Illinois | 82 | 2.9% | 11th of 33 |
| 6 | Virginia | 78 | 0.7% | 24th of 30 |
| 7 | Missouri | 45 | 2.4% | 12th of 36 |
| 8 | Arkansas | 42 | 0.8% | 18th of 36 |
| 9 | Louisiana | 41 | 0.8% | 20th of 41 |
| 10 | South Carolina | 32 | 0.9% | 28th of 40 |
| 11 | Iowa | 16 | 1.5% | 16th of 22 |
| 12 | Indiana | 15 | 0.7% | 22nd of 27 |
| 13 | Nebraska | 14 | 0.6% | 22nd of 31 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 9 | 0.3% | 25th of 32 |
| 15 | Kentucky | 6 | 0.5% | 19th of 24 |
| 16 | Mississippi | 6 | 0.3% | 35th of 38 |
When is the prairie kingsnake seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the prairie kingsnake run mostly March through September, peaking in May with 27% of them. Almost none are from December to February.
Where the prairie kingsnake is recorded in each state
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 291 licensed records, the 22nd most recorded of 39 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in North Carolina come from Wake County, Durham County and Moore County. Next come Richmond County (18) and Randolph County (16).
Kansas
Kansas holds 262 licensed records, the 17th most recorded of 44 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Kansas come from Douglas County, Meade County and Barber County. Next come Franklin County (8) and Comanche County (7).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 238 licensed records, the 21st most recorded of 50 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Oklahoma come from Cleveland County, Pottawatomie County and Tulsa County. Next come Marshall County (11) and Oklahoma County (10).
Texas
Texas holds 238 licensed records, the 39th most recorded of 86 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Texas come from Wichita County, Brazos County and Harris County. Next come Travis County (7) and Williamson County (7).
Illinois
Illinois holds 82 licensed records, the 11th most recorded of 33 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Illinois come from Jersey County, Richland County and Sangamon County. Next come St. Clair County (5) and Clinton County (4).
Virginia
Virginia holds 78 licensed records, the 24th most recorded of 30 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Virginia come from Prince William County, Fairfax County and Rappahannock County. Next come Henrico County (8) and Spotsylvania County (3).
Missouri
Missouri holds 45 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 36 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Missouri come from St. Louis County, Greene County and Texas County. Next come Lewis County (3) and Phelps County (3).
Arkansas
Arkansas holds 42 licensed records, the 18th most recorded of 36 snakes listed there. Its observation records in Arkansas run mostly April through June, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Columbia County, Benton County and Pulaski County. Next come Polk County (4) and Washington County (3).
Louisiana
Louisiana holds 41 licensed records, the joint 20th most recorded of 41 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in Louisiana come from Rapides Parish, Natchitoches Parish and Bienville Parish. Next come Vernon Parish (4) and Jackson Parish (3).
South Carolina
South Carolina holds 32 licensed records, the 28th most recorded of 40 snakes listed there. Most of its licensed records in South Carolina come from Spartanburg County, Greenville County and Laurens County. Next come Chesterfield County (2) and Edgefield County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Douglas County | Kansas | 50 | 3.5% |
| 2 | Wake County | North Carolina | 42 | 2.9% |
| 3 | Cleveland County | Oklahoma | 34 | 2.4% |
| 4 | Durham County | North Carolina | 32 | 2.2% |
| 5 | Moore County | North Carolina | 26 | 1.8% |
| 6 | Wichita County | Texas | 22 | 1.5% |
| 7 | Richmond County | North Carolina | 18 | 1.3% |
| 8 | Pottawatomie County | Oklahoma | 17 | 1.2% |
| 9 | Tulsa County | Oklahoma | 17 | 1.2% |
| 10 | Brazos County | Texas | 17 | 1.2% |
| 11 | Jersey County | Illinois | 16 | 1.1% |
| 12 | Richland County | Illinois | 16 | 1.1% |
| 13 | Randolph County | North Carolina | 16 | 1.1% |
| 14 | Sampson County | North Carolina | 16 | 1.1% |
| 15 | Rapides Parish | Louisiana | 14 | 1.0% |
How recent are the prairie kingsnake records?
The prairie kingsnake record leans on older material: only 13% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 1982. The oldest dated record is from 1860; the busiest year was 2007, with 32 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1860s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1870s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1880s | 5 | 0.4% |
| 1890s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1900s | 10 | 0.7% |
| 1910s | 28 | 2.1% |
| 1920s | 52 | 3.8% |
| 1930s | 105 | 7.8% |
| 1940s | 64 | 4.7% |
| 1950s | 84 | 6.2% |
| 1960s | 156 | 11.5% |
| 1970s | 145 | 10.7% |
| 1980s | 150 | 11.1% |
| 1990s | 103 | 7.6% |
| 2000s | 173 | 12.8% |
| 2010s | 141 | 10.4% |
| 2020s | 132 | 9.8% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 146 counties where the prairie kingsnake is most recorded, 63 are also top counties for the rough greensnake, more than for any other snake. Venomous species among its neighbors: the eastern copperhead.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Rough greensnake | 63 |
| Common garter snake | 60 |
| Eastern racer | 58 |
| DeKay's brown snake | 57 |
| Eastern copperhead venomous | 53 |
| Speckled kingsnake | 49 |
| Eastern hog-nosed snake | 47 |
| Eastern rat snake | 46 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Lampropeltis with profiles here: Eastern milksnake, California kingsnake, Eastern kingsnake, Speckled kingsnake, California mountain kingsnake, Mole kingsnake, Central plains milksnake and Eastern black kingsnake.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.