Northern Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon sipedon
Size
25–40 in
Status
Common
Venomous
No
Region
Statewide (N)
Indiana's most common water snake — harmless, but the one most often misidentified as a venomous cottonmouth. Abundant around lakes, rivers, and ponds.
Identification
A thick-bodied brown to gray watersnake with dark neck crossbands that break into staggered blotches down the body, darkening with age. The belly shows reddish or black half-moons. Adults are 2–3.5 feet, and flatten, bite, and musk when grabbed.
Habitat & Diet
Found statewide along almost any permanent water — lakes, rivers, ponds, and marshes — basking on logs and rocks. It hunts fish and amphibians and drops into the water when startled.
Conservation in Indiana
Common and secure. Despite its harmlessness it is frequently killed out of cottonmouth fear; public education is the best protection.
Similar Species & Taxonomy
Harmless but frequently mistaken for a cottonmouth, the Northern Watersnake has round pupils, no facial pit, and dark crossbands and blotches that darken with age; it flattens and bites freely when caught. A watersnake (family Colubridae; watersnakes and their kin are often split into the family Natricidae), formerly in the genus Natrix. The Common Watersnake, Nerodia sipedon, has several subspecies; Indiana has the Northern and Midland watersnakes.
United States Range Map Distribution
Distribution in Indiana
