Cornsnake

The corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) is a North American species of rat snake that subdues its small prey by constriction.[4][5] It is found throughout the southeastern and central United States. Though superficially resembling the venomous copperhead and often killed as a result of this mistaken identity, corn snakes lack functional venom and are harmless and beneficial to humans [6] by helping to control populations of wild rodent pests that damage crops and spread disease.[7]

The corn snake is named for the species’ regular presence near grain stores, where it preys on mice and rats that eat harvested corn.[8] The Oxford English Dictionary cites this usage as far back as 1675. Some sources maintain that the corn snake is so-named because the distinctive, nearly-checkered pattern of the snake’s belly scales resembles the kernels of variegated corn.