The corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) is a species of North American rat snake in the family Colubridae. The species subdues its small prey by constriction. It is found throughout the southeastern and central United States. Though superficially resembling the venomous copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) and often killed as a result of this mistaken identity, the corn snake lacks functional venom and is harmless. The corn snake is beneficial to humans because it helps to control populations of wild rodent pests that damage crops and spread disease. As an adult the corn snake may have a total length (including tail) of 61–182 cm (2.00–5.97 ft). In the wild, it usually lives around ten to fifteen years, but in captivity can live to an age of 23 years or more. The record for the oldest corn snake in captivity was 32 years and 3 months. The corn snake can be distinguished from a copperhead by the corn snake's brighter colors, slender build, round pupils, and lack of heat-sensing pits. (Source: Wikipedia.org, CC BY-SA)