Common Name: 
Louisiana pine snake 

Scientific Name: 
Pituophis ruthveni

Identification: 25-60 inches. Pale tan with a row of large black or brown blotches down the back that get closer as they approach the tail; underside whitish with obscure brown spotting; scales keeled.

Habit: Pine snakes are found in open longleaf pine uplands. Their main diet is pocket gophers, so they spend a lot of time in gopher burrows.

Distribution: Upland areas of northern and central Louisiana.