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Northern Water Snake

Nerodia sipedon sipedon

The northern water snake is a non-venomous aquatic snake that lives in lakes, swamps, streams and other waterways throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Appearance:

• Highly variable color and pattern: may be tan, gray, reddish or brownish-black. Older snakes are darker, often without a clear pattern
• Dark crossbands on the neck and forefront of the body. The dark bands are wider than the lighter-colored spaces between them.
• Alternating dark blotches on the back and sides on the lower half of the body
• Half moon-shaped spots on the belly
• Double row of scales under the tail
• Round pupils
• Grows 2-4 feet long

Habitat:

• Found in aquatic habitats including lakes, swamps, marshes, ditches, and freshwater streams and rivers
• Can live in brackish waters up to 12 ppt
• Swims actively during the day and at night
• Often seen basking on stumps, rocks and branches to stay warm

Range:

• Common throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Feeding:

• Eats small fish, worms, frogs, salamanders and crayfish
• Swallows its prey alive

Predators:

• Large snakes and mammals such as foxes and raccoons prey upon water snakes
• Escapes predators by diving underwater
• Can be aggressive when threatened
• Secretes a foul-smelling odor to keep predators away

Reproduction and Life Cycle:

• Males begin to breed within two years. Females mate when they are three years old
• Females give birth to one litter of live young per year, usually in mid- to late summer
• Water snakes are independent at birth

Other Facts:

• The most common snake seen in fresh and brackish waters in the Chesapeake region
• Can stay underwater for an hour and a half without coming up for air
• Water snakes are not venomous. However, they will bite if they feel threatened. It’s always best to keep a safe distance from all snakes and wildlife, just in case.
• Can be confused with the venomous cottonmouth. You can distinguish a northern water snake by its round pupils and the double row of scales under its tail.

Sources and Additional Information:

• Life in the Chesapeake Bay by Alice Jane Lippson and Robert L. Lippson
• Chesapeake Bay: Nature of the Estuary, A Field Guide by Christopher P. White
• Animal Diversity Web: Nerodia sipedon – University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
• Northern Watersnake – Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
• Common Watersnake – Virginia Herpetological Society