Florida Water Snake

Cottonmouth the trouble with brown snakes is they all look very similar.

Florida water snake. This snake is often mistaken for the venomous water moccasin eastern cottonmouth back to venomous. Water moccasins aren t the only aquatic snake in florida. The florida banded water snake for example is common near bodies of water and is entirely harmless. Before entering the water in areas like this it is smart to look and see if the cottonmouth is known to live there.

Because florida has a large number of swamps and marshland these snakes can be found in great abundance meaning that you could be at risk each time you go in the water. Harmless watersnake or venomous water moccasin. Banded water snake vs. Different species of snake can often be distinguished by their characteristic color patterns.

Brown water snakes are good climbers and often bask on tree limbs. Some are single uniform colors. Can be found in nearly all freshwater habitats preferring the shallow waters of swamps marshes ponds lakes streams and rivers. In south florida you re likely to find coral snakes eastern diamondbacks and pygmy rattlesnakes.

Florida green water snakes are found throughout florida except the keys and typically inhabit calm waters of lakes prairies marshes ponds estuaries and slow flowing canals. It s mating season for the florida water snakes according to the city of lakeland. Banded water snakes inhabit nearly all freshwater habitats throughout florida except the keys. Florida snake identification key southern water snake.

The cottonmouth is a common and venomous florida snake also called a water moccasin. Cottonmouths agkistrodon piscivorus sadly harmless snakes are often killed out of fear for the safety of family and pets. Nerodia fasciata linnaeus 1766 the following will separate the two southern water snakes found in florida if you are unable to distinguish between them based on the characteristics in the key below you probably can do so using the geographic location alone. There are many harmless watersnakes genus nerodia that are frequently confused with venomous water moccasins a k a.

Florida snakes visual identification. The florida water snake differs from the southern water snake n. F pictiventris these markings consist of transverse blotches many of them enclosing an oval white spot whereas in n. Here is a quick look at most of florida s snakes by pattern.

Fasciata they are solid squarish spots. Live or dead fish frogs and aquatic invertebrates.