These snakes, which are part of the Colubrid classification, eat rodents and can get quite large.
Lampropeltis means "shiny shields" and the majority of king snakes have quite vibrant patterns on their skin. King snakes are constrictors and tend to be opportunistic when it comes to their diet, they will eat other snakes, lizards, rodents, birds, and eggs. They are highly resistant to the venom of other snakes, and have been known to eat them. The king in their name (as with the King cobra) is a reference to their taste for snake meat.
Some sub-species of this group include the: