Scarlet King Snake

The Scarlet King Snake is a very rarely encountered snake in this region. They are more common in the pine woods of the coastal plain. The only population in the upper piedmont on NC is one that lies in Hanging Rock State Park. This park seems to be the isolated home to a few reptiles that are more likely to be found on the coastal plain than the piedmont, which probably says something about the geologic history of this region. This species is very secretive and perfers rather dry places where it hunts its main food source, lizards.