Northern Watersnake

Northern watersnakes range in size from 24 to 55 in (61-140 cm). They are fairly dark-colored snakes and may be brown, tan or grayish. The coloration is much more vivid in young and wet specimens. Their back and sides have a series of square blotches that alternate and may merge to form bands. Their scales are keeled and the anal plate is divided. Adult females tend to be larger than adult males. This species is often confused with the venomous cottonmouth (water moccasin), but cottonmouths have bands instead of blotches and their distribution is generally restricted to the Coastal Plain.