The scarlet kingsnake uses mimicry to dupe predators, such as red-tailed hawks. The scarlet king-snake is a small king-snake that is seldom found in the open, except at night after heavy rains. It is found under logs, mostly in pine forests. It is a non-poisonous snake. Its skin has a red, black-and-white pattern with yellow bands. To avoid being eaten by predators like black bears, bobcats and hawks, the scarlet kingsnake (lampropeltis elapsoides) copies the stripe patterns of deadly coral snakes (micrurus fulvius). Coral snakes also have red and yellow bands and are extremely poisonous.
Why does the scarlet kingsnake mimic as a coral snake?
