Stout-bodied aquatic snake with dark crossbands over most of the body. Color and pattern highly variable, like Northern Water Snake; where ranges overlap, presence of dark stripe from eye to angle of mouth and large squarish blotches or wormlike markings on belly scales will identify the Southern. Some darken with age, obscuring pattern. Scales keeled, in 21-25 rows. Anal plate divided.
Ten Facts about Southern Water Snake
- Length can be 22-62 1/2" (56-158.8 cm).
- Mates January to February in extreme southerly parts of range.
- 2-57 young, 7-10 1/2" (18-27 cm) long, are born June to August.
- Freshwater situations; permanent lakes, ponds, cypress swamps, marshes, and sluggish streams; occasionally enters brackish water.
- Coastal plain, North Carolina to Florida Keys, west to e. Texas; north in Mississippi River Valley to extreme s. Illinois.
- Active during the day, and also at night.
- If threatened, may emit a strong-smelling musk and feces from its cloaca, flatten its body and strike repeatedly.
- Eats fish, frogs, salamanders, crayfish.
- When threaten they will even play dead.
- Snakes, dogs, wild cats, foxes, hawks prey on it.
