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.
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.