 The dorsal scales are smooth.The northern scarlet snake can sometimes be mistaken for the scarlet kingsnake ("Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides") or the eastern milk snake ("Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum") in the areas where the geographic ranges of the species overlap.The northern scarlet snake is a secretive, burrowing species, preferring habitats of soft soils, often in open forested areas or developed agricultural land.