Northern watersnake
Q: Chip: Saw your name in some snake articles and thought I would reach out. My wife was walking a reservoir near Lima, Ohio, this fall and came across this snake. Do you know the species?
Patrick Diltz
A: I’m no snake expert, Patrick, but suspecting it was a Northern Watersnake, I contacted professional herpetologist Greg Lipps at Ohio State University for positive identification. Here’s what he had to say:
“Yes, it’s a Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon). They are found throughout Ohio, are non-venomous and harmless, although not known for having the best disposition. They are an incredibly variable species in terms of color and pattern. The chapter on them in the forthcoming book Reptiles of Ohio captures this well.
“Northern Ohio animals are often very dark (like the one pictured), or light and without much pattern (like Lake Erie Watersnakes); while those farther south in the state are often very boldly marked with lots of contrast. Add to that their ornery disposition, and they are a species that causes quite a bit of concern for those who encounter them.
“I likely identify some 50 photos of watersnakes sent to me every year, second only to the Eastern Milksnake. Unfortunately, in many of those milksnake photos the suspected ‘poisonous copperhead’ has already had its head removed.”
