The common name, milk snake, originated from a belief that these snakes milk cows. This myth probably began when farmers sought some excuse for why a cow was producing less milk than usual. The snakes, drawn to the mice in the barn, were convenient culprits.

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The common name "milk snake" stems from an intriguing myth that attributes their ability to milk cows. Such a belief likely emerged as a means for farmers to explain a decrease in their cows' milk production. These snakes, naturally attracted to the barn due to the presence of mice, conveniently became the presumed culprits responsible for the phenomenon.