[8] Its specific name, elapsoides, is a Latinization of the Greek word éllops (ελλοπς)[9] which refers to coral and was used to describe the 19th century genus, Elaps (the type genus of the family Elapidae), which included the eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius), a venomous species which the scarlet kingsnake resembles and with which the scarlet kingsnake is partly sympatric.

[5][13] Scarlet kingsnakes have a tricolored pattern of black, red, white, and various shades of yellow bands that appear to mimic the venomous coral snake in a form of Batesian mimicry.

For tri-colored snakes found east of the Mississippi River, all of these phrases can be replaced with the simple phrase, "Red face, I'm safe", in reference to the red snout of scarlet kingsnakes as opposed to the prominent black snout of the eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius).

In addition, the yellowing is not uniform, but rather this pigmentation proceeds from lighter to darker from the lowermost scales upward to the dorsum, or "back", presenting a multiple yellowish band.

[citation needed] Hatchling scarlet kingsnakes show a strong predisposition for ground skinks (Scincella lateralis), often to the exclusion of other prey items.

[16] Lampropeltis elapsoides is an oviparous species of snake that lays eggs in clutches of 4-12, usually under rotting wood and between rocks and logs.

[18] A scarlet kingsnake also appears briefly as an unidentified venomous snake in an early scene of 2001 film The Mummy Returns.