"The common Kingsnake is a nonvenomous member of the “harmless” Colubrid family which also includes such common snakes as Garter snakes, Gopher snakes, and Whip snakes.

The Kingsnake derives its name from its habit of eating other snakes. It is most famous for eating rattlesnakes and copperheads and for being immune to viper venom. The Kingsnake is actually a diet generalist and will eat, small rodents, snakes, lizards, birds and their eggs and even turtles and frogs. It is usually active in the morning and late afternoon but in extremely hot conditions will be found abroad at night. The Kingsnake locates and identifies its prey at night by using its sense of smell. If the prey item is a rattlesnake, the Kingsnake, being a constrictor, will bite the snake and immediately throw several coils around it and constrict it until it is disabled and exhausted and it will then be eaten, whether still alive or dead."