scarlet king snake
noun
: a king snake of the eastern and southeastern U.S. that is reddish with black and yellow or whitish bands and is typically 14 to 27 inches (36 to 69 centimeters) in length
Note: The scarlet king snake is either considered a separate species (Lampropeltis elapsoides) or a subspecies (L. triangulum elapsoides) of the milk snake. It resembles and is often mistaken for the venomous coral snake (genus Micrurus) but can be distinguished from it by the presence of black bands which separate the red from yellow whereas coral snakes have red and yellow bands that are touching.
Word History
First Known Use
1882, in the meaning defined above