Juvenile Western Rat Snake in St. Louis County, Missouri. (AKA black rat snake)

It was in the middle of a busy bike path in a densely populated suburban area near Kirkwood, Missouri.

 

As soon as I picked it up, it bit me with all of the force it could muster.

 

And it was as painful as a mosquito bite :)

 

I took a few photos and released it into a grassy area.

 

Thanks to Peter Paplanus for the ID.

Done