Northern water snake
Not venomous. It bites if grabbed and musk smells bad, but it is harmless.
- Lives in
- 36 states
- Size
- 24–42 in
- Open US records
- 21,345
- Group
- Snake
How to identify it
- Dark crossbands near the head that break into blotches toward the tail
- Bands are widest on the back, narrow on the sides (the opposite of a copperhead)
- Round pupils, no heat pit
- Belly with reddish half-moons
Size: 24–42 in (total length). Habitat: Lakes, rivers, ponds and marshes from the Great Lakes to the Gulf states.
Also called common water snake.
Where it lives
- Lives here
- Rare records
- Gone
- Not here
When it is out
Look-alikes
- Copperhead vs Northern Water Snake Copperhead: medically significant
State by state
| State | Status | Open records | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | Lives here | 1,912 | 78 |
| Virginia | Lives here | 1,688 | 109 |
| North Carolina | Lives here | 1,570 | 77 |
| Kansas | Lives here | 1,520 | 71 |
| New York | Lives here | 1,390 | 44 |
| Illinois | Lives here | 1,230 | 55 |
| Alabama | Lives here | 1,098 | 59 |
| Michigan | Lives here | 1,049 | 65 |
| Pennsylvania | Lives here | 1,040 | 62 |
| Missouri | Lives here | 982 | 48 |
| Maryland | Lives here | 766 | 23 |
| Tennessee | Lives here | 713 | 61 |
| Indiana | Lives here | 621 | 77 |
| Arkansas | Lives here | 525 | 21 |
| Georgia | Lives here | 515 | 49 |
| Wisconsin | Lives here | 505 | 29 |
| Kentucky | Lives here | 443 | 41 |
| New Jersey | Lives here | 410 | 20 |
| Massachusetts | Lives here | 393 | 13 |
| Louisiana | Lives here | 359 | 17 |
| Connecticut | Lives here | 313 | 8 |
| West Virginia | Lives here | 312 | 47 |
| Delaware | Lives here | 274 | 3 |
| Oklahoma | Lives here | 235 | 22 |
| Mississippi | Lives here | 212 | 25 |
| Florida | Lives here | 204 | 14 |
| South Carolina | Lives here | 165 | 17 |
| Iowa | Lives here | 146 | 30 |
| Colorado | Lives here | 137 | 12 |
| Rhode Island | Lives here | 131 | 4 |
| Nebraska | Lives here | 126 | 25 |
| Minnesota | Lives here | 98 | 6 |
| New Hampshire | Lives here | 74 | 9 |
| Texas | Lives here | 74 | 11 |
| Vermont | Lives here | 52 | 6 |
| Maine | Lives here | 49 | 12 |
| California | Rare records | 5 | 2 |
| South Dakota | Rare records | 4 | 2 |
| Idaho | Rare records | 2 | 0 |
| New Mexico | Rare records | 1 | 1 |
| North Dakota | Rare records | 1 | 0 |
| Wyoming | Rare records | 1 | 0 |
States not listed have no open records and are outside the range.
Questions
Where does the northern water snake live?
In 36 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Rare records also come from California, Idaho, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
Is the northern water snake dangerous?
Harmless. Not venomous. It bites if grabbed and musk smells bad, but it is harmless.
How do you identify a northern water snake?
Dark crossbands near the head that break into blotches toward the tail. Bands are widest on the back, narrow on the sides (the opposite of a copperhead). Round pupils, no heat pit.
When is the northern water snake most active?
Most open US records fall in April to July.