17 Types of Water Snakes Found in Florida! (ID Guide)
“What kinds of water snakes can you find in Florida?“
Is it just me, or do you also find water snakes fascinating? There’s something about the way they move across the water that is incredibly interesting. Whenever I am near a pond, marsh, or other body of water, I make sure to look for any water snakes moving about.
Today, you are going to learn about 17 water snakes that live in Florida.
The species below are considered either aquatic or semi-aquatic, which means that it’s very likely that you will see them actively swimming or extremely close to water, such as sunning themselves on a bank.
#1. Midland Water Snake
- Nerodia sipedon pleuralis
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults range from 24 to 50 inches in length.
- Typically light gray in color, but some individuals are reddish.
- Near the head, they have dark crossbands. As you move down the snake, the crossbands are replaced by dark squarish blotches.
This water snake is only found in the western panhandle of Florida!
Midland Water Snakes prefer slow-moving or standing water such as ponds, lakes, vernal pools, marshes, and slow-moving rivers and streams. They’re most often seen basking on rocks or logs in or near the water.
Common Water Snake Range Map (Midland Water Snakes are subspecies!)
Credit: Virginia Herpetological Society
When disturbed, Midland Water Snakes flee into the water to escape. However, if grabbed or captured, they’re quick to defend themselves. They will release a foul-smelling musk from glands near the base of their tale, flatten their body, and strike the attacker.
While non-venomous, they can deliver a painful bite!
Their saliva contains a mild anticoagulant that can cause bites to bleed, making the injury appear worse. These important defense mechanisms help water snakes survive predators such as raccoons, snapping turtles, foxes, opossums, other snakes, and birds of prey.
Midland Water Snake populations are considered to be stable in Florida. However, like many other water snakes, this species faces habitat loss and degradation. Unfortunately, they are also commonly killed by people out of fear.
#2. Plain-bellied Watersnake
- Nerodia erythrogaster
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults have a thick body and range from 24 to 40 inches in length.
- Solid coloration of gray, brown, olive, or black.
- As the name suggests, they have a plain unmarked underside varying from red to yellow.
- Also called Redbelly, Yellowbelly, Copperbelly, or Blotched Watersnake.
The Plain-bellied Watersnake can be found near various water sources, including rivers, floodplains, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. This species spends an unusual amount of time on land compared with other water snakes found in Florida. Especially during hot, humid weather, they can be found in woodlands quite far from a water source.
Plain-bellied Watersnake Range Map
Credit: Virginia Herpetological Society
They feed on BOTH aquatic and terrestrial prey, including crayfish, fish, salamanders, frogs, and other amphibians. Another unusual feature of this species is that they will sit and wait to ambush their prey, especially on land. Almost all other water snakes actively hunt and chase their victims!
The females give birth in August or September to live young. Litters average 18 young, but one of 55 has been reported! These unique water snakes can also produce offspring via parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction in which an embryo develops without fertilization by sperm.
If captured, they release a foul-smelling musk and are not afraid to bite! Plain-bellied Watersnakes are eaten by largemouth bass, egrets, hawks, and sometimes other larger snakes.
#3. Queen Snake
-
Regina septemvittata
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are generally around 24 inches in length though individuals up to 36 inches have been reported.
- Coloration is drab brown or olive green with two lighter stripes down the sides.
- The underside is yellow or tan and also has four dark stripes that run the length of their belly. No other similar species has this feature!
Queen Snakes prefer moving water and are generally found near streams and rivers with rocky bottoms. They have highly permeable skin, making them susceptible to evaporative water loss. As you can imagine, they are rarely spotted far from water.
Queen Snake Range Map
Credit: Virginia Herpetological Society
Queen Snakes are considered to be less secretive than other water snakes in Florida.
They are primarily diurnal and can be spotted basking on rocks, overhanging branches, or vegetation near the water’s edge. They often take refuge under rocks along the edges of streams. If you’re lucky, you may see them swimming.
These water snakes are specialist predators that primarily feed on crayfish. They almost exclusively prey on newly molted crayfish, which have soft bodies and can’t use their pinchers yet. They hunt by probing under rocks and other submerged objects for crayfish.
If disturbed, their first instinct is to flee into the water and dive below the surface. They typically will hide near the bottom briefly or swim down the shoreline before re-emerging. If cornered or captured, they will flatten themselves and may release a foul-smelling musk from glands at the base of their tail. Unlike other water snakes found in Florida, they don’t typically bite.
#4. Northern Cottonmouth
- Agkistrodon piscivorus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults range from 26 to 35 inches in length. Females are typically smaller than males.
- Most individuals are dark gray to black with a broad head, heat-sensing pits between the eyes and nostrils, elliptical pupils, and a blunt snout.
- Some individuals have a brown, gray, tan, or blackish coloration.
- Also commonly called Water Moccasins, Black Moccasins, or Gapers.
Cottonmouths are the ONLY venomous water snake in Florida.
Be on the lookout for these water snakes near swamps, marshes, ponds, and slow-moving streams and rivers, as well as flooded fields and drainage ditches. But they aren’t limited to just aquatic habitats. Cottonmouths can also be found in palmetto thickets, pine forests, dune areas, and prairies.
Northern Cottonmouth Range Map
Credit: Virginia Herpetological Society
Since Northern Cottonmouths are typically near water, the bulk of their diet is made up of fish and frogs. But they are opportunistic and will also eat small mammals, birds, turtles, small alligators, and other snakes.
These water snakes have several defensive tactics to warn potential threats to stay away! They often vibrate their tail in the leaf litter, pull their heads up and back, and then open their mouth to hiss and expose a white interior. This particular display is what earned them the name “cottonmouth.“
Since they are venomous, please use extra caution if you come across an unknown water snake. Quite a few species look similar, especially if you just get a glance as one moves across the water.
Luckily, receiving a bite from a Northern Cottonmouth is rare. But when it does happen, it is very serious as their venom destroys tissue. It is rare to die from their bite, but it does cause swelling and bruising and can leave scars.
#5. Saltmarsh Watersnake
- Nerodia clarkii
Identifying Characteristics
- Adults range in length from 15 to 36 inches.
- There are three subspecies of the Salt Marsh Snake, and coloration varies greatly. Individuals can be gray, olive, brown, tan, or rusty orange.
- They typically have four longitudinal stripes down the body, including two lighter stripes and two darker stripes. But certain individuals lack these stripes and are a solid color.
You can find these water snakes in Florida in coastal salt marshes, brackish estuaries, and tidal mudflats. As their name suggests, they aren’t typically found near freshwater. To hydrate, they usually rely on their prey for their water intake. However, they may also get freshwater from puddles when available.
Saltmarsh Watersnake Range Map
Credit: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior/USGS
Saltmarsh Water Snakes primarily feed on small fish, shrimp, crabs, and other aquatic invertebrates. They are opportunistic and often hunt creatures that are trapped in small puddles created by the outgoing tide. The best time to see one is at night, which is when they are primarily active to avoid predators such as egrets and herons. During the day, you could look for them in dense vegetation.
The Salt Marsh Snake can live up to 20 years and are non-venomous, very secretive, and non-aggressive. Virtually all bites have occurred when people were intentionally harassing the snake.
These docile water snakes are declining and at high risk in parts of their range. Habitat degradation with the development of coastal salt marshes has played a significant role in their decline. Unfortunately, they are also often killed because people confuse them with the venomous cottonmouth.
Here are the three Saltmarsh Water Snake subspecies that can be found in Florida:
- Gulf Saltmarsh Watersnake (N. c. clarkii)
- Mangrove Saltmarsh Watersnake (N. c. compressicauda)
- Atlantic Saltmarsh Watersnake (N. c. taeniata)
#6. Southern Watersnake
- Nerodia fasciata
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults range from 24 to 48 inches in length.
- Coloration is typically gray, greenish-gray, or brown with darker cross bands. Some individuals may be so dark that the bands are barely distinguishable.
- Flat heads and heavy bodies.
- Also called the Banded or Florida Watersnake.
The Southern Watersnake is found in Florida near almost any freshwater source within their range. Look for them everywhere, including lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps, wetlands, and streams. They’re often spotted on branches overhanging the water, sunning themselves.
Southern Watersnake Range Map
Credit: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior/USGS
These water snakes are primarily nocturnal and spend much of their time hunting along the shoreline for frogs and small fish. Like other water snakes, they quickly grab their prey and swallow it alive.
Southern Watersnakes are docile and non-venomous. But if they are captured or grabbed, they will flatten their heads, release a foul-smelling musk from glands near the tip of their tail, and may bite. Unfortunately, they are sometimes killed because they are mistaken for the venomous cottonmouth.
There are actually TWO subspecies of the Southern Watersnake that can be found in Florida.
- Banded Watersnake (N. f. fasciata): They are found in the middle of the northern part of the state, east through the panhandle.
- Florida Watersnake (N. f. pictiventris): Look for these snakes everywhere in Florida except the panhandle.
#7. Brown Watersnake
-
Nerodia taxispilota
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults range from 30 to 60 inches in length.
- Coloration is light brown to dark brown with darker brown blotches down the center of the back and on the sides.
- Thick body with a large head that is distinct from the neck.
- It may also be called Water-pilot, False Moccasin, Great Water Snake, Pied Water Snake, Southern Water Snake, and Water Rattle.
Brown Watersnakes are found near various permanent water sources, including rivers, cypress stands, swamps, lakes, ponds, and canals. They’re rarely seen far from the water’s edge. Look for them in areas with overhanging vegetation, emergent snags, and rocky banks, which provide places for the water snakes to bask.
Credit: Virginia Herpetological Society
Unlike other watersnakes in Florida, they feed almost exclusively on fish, particularly young catfish.
Brown Watersnakes are also excellent climbers and can be spotted basking on branches overhanging the water up to 20 feet up. If disturbed, they’ll quickly drop into the water and dive under the surface to flee. They have been known to fall into passing boats accidentally! 🙂
This species is relatively common throughout its range and isn’t considered threatened. However, it is protected in some states. Like other watersnakes, it faces habitat degradation and loss as well as needless killing from people who mistake them for venomous cottonmouths.
#8. Glossy Swampsnake
- Liodytes rigida
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults range from 14 to 24 inches in length.
- Coloration is a glossy brownish to olive with yellow lip scales. There are sometimes two dark or black stripes running down the back.
- The underside is yellow with two rows of black half-moons or dots.
Glossy Swampsnakes inhabit and rarely leave slow-moving waterways such as cypress swamps, roadside ditches, ponds, lakes, marshes, streams, and rivers. These water snakes are quite secretive and often hide under logs and debris near the water or inside crayfish burrows. Your best chance to see one might be on roadways during or after a heavy rain.
Glossy Swampsnake Range Map
Credit: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior/USGS
These nocturnal water snakes primarily feed on crayfish. They don’t constrict their prey but use their coils to help hold it while swallowing it alive, typically tail-first. Their small, chisel-shaped teeth allow them to consume hard-shelled crayfish.
When disturbed, Glossy Swampsnakes quickly flee into the water and dive to the bottom. If cornered, they may flatten themselves and release a foul-smelling musk from glands near the base of their tail. If picked up, they may hiss and feign striking but rarely bite.
Due to their highly secretive nature, little is known about the population status of these water snakes in Florida. But their dependence on aquatic habitats and crayfish may subject them to decline due to habitat loss and degradation.
There are actually two subspecies of Glossy Watersnake that can be found in Florida:
- Eastern Glossy Swampsnake (L. r. rigida)
- Gulf Swampsnake (L. r. sinicola): Only found in the western panhandle.
#9. Black Swampsnake
- Liodytes pygaea
Identifying Characteristics:
- Small, thin water snakes that are only 10 – 15 inches in length.
- Shiny black.
- Bright orange or red belly with black marks.
Black Swampsnakes are the smallest water snakes found in Florida!
Unfortunately, they can be hard to find. Not only are they small and black, but they live in wet areas with dense vegetation.
Black Swampsnake Range Map
In addition, they are almost entirely aquatic. These water snakes don’t even come to dry land to give birth. Females deliver 11-13 LIVE babies directly in shallow water!
Since they are so small, Black Swampsnakes feed mostly on tiny fish, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, leeches, and earthworms.
#10. Florida Green Watersnake
- Nerodia floridana
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults have a large head and range from 30 to 55 inches in length.
- Coloration is varied and can be green, brown, gray, or orangish. No distinct markings except maybe some speckling and a yellow or white underside. Juveniles may have darker cross bands which fade with age.
- Also called Eastern Green Watersnake.
Florida Green Watersnakes are the largest watersnake native to Florida!
They prefer calm, shallow bodies of water, like marshes, lakes, ponds, or canals, that have open canopies and dense vegetation. They’re rarely seen in rivers or streams.
Florida Green Watersnake Range Map
Florida Green Watersnakes primarily feed on frogs, salamanders, tadpoles, and fish, including sunfish, crappies, and small bass. Like other watersnakes, they quickly grab their prey and swallow it alive.
This species is non-venomous, and their first instinct when disturbed is to flee. They’ll quickly move into the water or under some cover. If captured, they release a foul-smelling musk and will bite.
#11. Florida Cottonmouth
-
Agkistrodon conanti
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults range from 30 to 48 inches in length.
- Heavy bodied with speckled, splotchy light and dark brown banding, which darkens with age.
- Dark, broad facial stripe through the eye. Look for elliptical, cat-like pupils and heat-sensing pits between the eyes and nostrils.
- Also called Water Moccasins.
Be careful if you come across a Florida Cottonmouth, as they are VENOMOUS.
These water snakes used to be considered a subspecies of the Northern Cottonmouth, but now it’s its own species! They are typically found in or near marshes, swamps, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. But be careful, as they also inhabit the woodlands near these water sources.
Florida Cottonmouth Range Map
Credit: Virginia Herpetological Society
These water snakes are excellent swimmers and often eat aquatic prey such as baby alligators, small turtles, frogs, and fish. As a member of the pit viper family, they have facial pits which they use to detect infrared radiation when hunting.
Interestingly, when hunting in the water, they typically hold their kill in their mouth while the venom takes effect. But when hunting on land, they release their prey, such as rodents, and track it to consume once it dies. The thought is that land animals, like rodents, are more likely to bite back, so it makes sense to make sure they are dead.
Florida Cottonmouths don’t typically flee when confronted. They give the classic “cottonmouth” threat display, showing the startlingly white interior of their mouth and emitting a hissing sound.
#12. Striped Crayfish Snake
- Liodytes alleni
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults range from 13 to 20 inches in length.
- Coloration is a glossy brownish-yellow. Look for three broad dark stripes, one down the center of the back and one down each side.
- Small head and a yellowish or occasionally reddish underside.
- Also called Allen’s Snake or Striped Swampsnake.
Striped Crayfish Snakes are found in or near swamps and open wetlands with heavy plant growth. You can sometimes find them under logs and debris near the water, in crayfish burrows, or spot them on roadways during or after heavy rains. They rarely live in moving water.
Striped Crayfish Snake Range Map
Credit: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior/USGS
Striped Crayfish Snakes are nocturnal and feed primarily on crayfish, as their name suggests. Their small, sharp teeth allow them to grab and hold the hard shell of crayfish. These water snakes don’t constrict prey, but they use the coils of their body to help secure it while they swallow it alive. They typically consume crayfish tail first.
If captured, these water snakes release a foul-smelling musk from glands near the base of their tail and may thrash about vigorously. They rarely bite but may gape their mouth and swing their head and neck from side to side. Occasionally, they will feign death by going rigid and opening their mouth.
#13. Burmese Python
- Python bivittatus
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults are typically 10 to 16 feet in length, but individuals may grow up to 23 feet!
- Coloration is tan, cream, or tannish yellow with darker brown, black-bordered blotches down the back.
- Dark head with a light stripe through each eye converging at the nose, forming a “V” pattern.
The Burmese Python is one of the largest snakes in the world!
Unfortunately, it is not native to Florida, and they are causing MASSIVE damage to ecosystems. Escaped and released snakes from the pet trade are to blame.
These invasive snakes are primarily found in the Everglades, which offer a near-perfect habitat free of any natural predators. While Burmese Pythons spend most of their time on land or in trees, they need a permanent water source to survive. They’re good swimmers and can stay submerged in the water for 30 minutes.
Burmese Pythons sit and wait for their prey, then strike their target rapidly when it approaches and use their coils to constrict and suffocate it. They feed primarily on mammals, including foxes, rabbits, and raccoons, but they’ll also eat birds, amphibians, and reptiles. In Florida, they’ve even been observed preying on alligators and deer!
Efforts are underway to try and rid Florida of this giant predator. You may have seen the annual “Florida Python Challenge,” a competition held to see who can capture the most snakes in a given time period.
Here’s what to do if you see a Burmese Python:
You should report the animal via the “I’ve Got 1” reporting hotline (888-483-4681), the EDDMapS reporting site, or by using an iPhone application, IveGot1.
#14. Eastern Garter Snake
- Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults typically range from 18 to 26 inches in length.
- Coloration varies and can be mixtures of green, brown, or black. Look for a distinct yellow or whitish stripe down the center of their back.
- Some individuals may exhibit a checkered body pattern.
- Subspecies of the Common Garter Snake.
Look for these snakes in Florida basking in the sun in grassy areas near freshwater.
In fact, they are typically the snake species that people come across the most. They’re well-adapted to living around people and can often be found in city parks, farmland, cemeteries, and suburban lawns and gardens. Though not required, they prefer grassy environments near freshwater sources such as ponds, marshes, lakes, ditches, and streams.
Eastern Garter Snakes protect themselves when they are cornered or feel threatened. For example, if you capture or continually disturb one, it will defecate and release a foul-smelling musk from its glands. It’s also common for them to bite as a last resort!
The Eastern Garter Snake most commonly preys on toads, frogs, slugs, salamanders, fish, and worms. However, they are very opportunistic and will eat other insects and small animals they can overpower. They’re active during both the day and night, depending on the temperature.
#15. Eastern Ribbon Snake
- Thamnophis saurita
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults typically range from 18 to 26 inches in length. A slender snake with a long tail!
- Coloration is brown to nearly black with three bright yellow to cream stripes; one down the back and one down each side.
- Snout and entire head are brownish, lips and underneath head are white.
Did you see a long, slender snake in Florida near freshwater?
If so, it was probably an Eastern Ribbon Snake!
This species is semi-aquatic and RARELY found far from a source of water. Look for them in a wide variety of habitats, including marshes, grassy floodplains, streams, ditches with grass, wet areas in meadows, and woodlands adjacent to wetlands. Ribbon snakes are even found in suburban areas that match these conditions.
You might spot these snakes basking on branches of trees, bushes, or grasses overhanging the water. They typically hunt in the water and prey on amphibians, fish, and invertebrates.
When disturbed, these snakes quickly flee into water, grass, or brushy areas. If caught, they are not aggressive and rarely bite. But you can expect them to defecate and spray musk onto your hands. In the wild, Eastern Ribbon Snakes rely on blending into their surroundings to escape predators.
#16. Red-bellied Mudsnake
-
Farancia abacura
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults range from 40 to 54 inches in length.
- Coloration is smooth, glossy black with a red and black checkered underside with the red extending up the sides, creating a triangle pattern.
- The chin is heavily marked with black and usually yellow, creating a “zipper-like” appearance.
These semi-aquatic snakes are usually found in Florida near stagnant muddy waters of shallow streams, rivers, drainage ditches, canals, lakes, marshes, and swamps. They’re often spotted under water-soaked logs or other wet, organic debris and prefer habitats with dense vegetation and muddy bottoms and banks.
Red-bellied Mudsnakes are specialized hunters! Adult snakes feed almost exclusively on fully aquatic salamanders. They prey primarily on only two species, the Three-toed Amphiuma and the Lesser Siren.
These docile snakes don’t strike when disturbed or captured. Instead, if grabbed, they may press their harmless, blunt tail tip against their attacker, a behavior which has earned them the nicknames “horn snakes” and “stinging snakes” If continually handled, Red-bellied Mudsnakes may release a foul-smelling musk and go limp or play dead.
This water snake is incredibly secretive, and its status is poorly known in many areas.
#17. Rainbow Snake
- Farancia erytrogramma
Identifying Characteristics:
- Adults typically range from 27 to 48 inches in length.
- Coloration is smooth, glossy, iridescent bluish-black with three red stripes and yellow or pink lower sides.
- A short tail that ends in a pointed, horny scale.
These beautiful snakes are highly aquatic and spend most of their lives in water in Florida. Rainbow Snakes are powerful swimmers and are commonly found in cypress swamps, marshes, blackwater creeks, lakes, slow-moving streams, tidal mudflats, and sandy coastal plains.
Rainbow Snakes are nocturnal and primarily prey on eels, earning them the nickname “Eel Moccasin.” However, they may also eat frogs, tadpoles, and salamanders, and earthworms. Prey is eaten alive, typically swallowed headfirst.
If disturbed, these docile snakes may freeze or attempt to crawl away slowly. If grabbed, they don’t bite but may press the tip of their tail into the attacker and release foul-smelling musk from a pair of glands near the base of their tail.
The Rainbow Snake is considered a species of least concern. However, their secretive nature can make their populations hard to count. Degradation of aquatic habitats and any decline in eel populations could negatively impact them.
Do you need additional help identifying a water snake?
Try this field guide!
Which of these water snakes have you seen in Florida?
Leave a comment below!
