Common Watersnake

Range

The Common Watersnake is discovered throughout eastern and central North America, from Southern Ontario and southern Quebec in the north, down to Texas and Florida in the south. Although, it has been introduced in California.

Habitats

They can be found in muskrat houses and beavers lodges. They are mostly found in any area with fresh water like; lakes, ponds, marshes and canals. They mate from April to June. The mother can carry up to 30 eggs inside her and gives birth to live young, 19-23 cm long, between August and October. They are active at daytime and nighttime. While It hunts during the day, looking for frogs, leeches, salamanders and small birds, it concentrates on minnows, sleeping in shallow water at night.

Identification

It has an average length of 81.4cm and 69.6cm in females and males respectively. It could be brown, grey, reddish or brownish-black, with dark crossbands on the neck and dark blotches on the body. Its skin colour darkens as it ages. The belly could be white, grey or yellow, with reddish or black crescents.

Learn more with Schechter Natural History's Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians