What is a "milk snake"?

A milk snake is a non-venomous snake with vibrant colors and patterns, resembling that of the venomous coral snake. It is commonly found in North and Central America and is named "milk snake" due to an old folk belief that it would suck milk from cows. Despite its harmless nature, it may mimic the appearance of venomous snakes as a defense mechanism. They often have a reddish or brownish background color with vibrant bands or blotches of black, red, and yellow. This coloration is similar to that of the venomous coral snake, featuring a pattern of red and black bands separated by yellow bands.