Susie Spikol is a naturalist at the Harris Center for Conservation Education. Notice banded patterns and round pupils (rattlesnakes have vertical pupils). “People who are nervous about snakes are even more nervous about snakes in the water,” says Jim Andrews, leader of the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas Project. The Northern water snake, that’s who! Commonly Confused Species: Timber rattlesnake, milk snake; water moccasin or cottonmouth (not a NH species). They give birth August to October to 20-40. near the water. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. New Hampshire Fish … The mother leaves the babies to fend for themselves after they are born. Conservation Threats: Loss and degradation of wetland habitats; anything that results in reduced amphibian populations. These are examples of water snakes. The northern water snake is dark, gray body, lots of blotches, black brown, and 2-4’ long with black or red crescents on the stomach. Females are larger than males. Click here to learn more about water snakes. I enjoyed learning about this animal and I hope I can learn more about water snakes, snakes, and NH animals. Threats to the Northern Water Snake are loss of habitat and amphibians to eat. Subspecies: N.s. Posted by luca at 3:05 PM No comments: Email This BlogThis! We want to display your photos on our page! Often uses logs or branches overhanging the water for basking. For my NH animal research project I chose to do water snakes. The Northern Water Snake basks on logs or stumps that are low hanging. Also called the Water Moccasin. Chance of rain 40%.. Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest. Northern water snakes are part of the complex and diverse system of living organisms that make up New Hampshire’s freshwater wetlands. nh.gov | privacy policy | accessibility policy One of the most commonly confused species with the Northern Water Snake is the Cottonmouth. Sometimes the banding pattern is difficult to see in dark snakes. The northern water snake is harmless, but because of mistaken identity it may be the most feared snake in the region. The Cottonmouth will fight. They are non-venomous but are commonly confused for the venomous Timber Rattlesnake of NH, the cottonmouth/water moccasin not of NH, and the non-venomous milk snake of NH. The Northern water snake is not venomous and will leave you alone if you leave it alone. The northern water snake is dark, gray body, lots of blotches, black brown, and 2-4’ long with black or red crescents on the stomach. Photo by Brian Faber. I really chose NH water snakes but because the Northern Water Snake is the only water snake in NH, I just studied the Northern Water Snake. Rust colored adult northern watersnake observed in April 2016 in Henniker, NH. Rarely found far from water. Distribution map: View a map showing the towns where this species is reported to occur in NH. The Northern Water Snake holds its head high whereas the Cottonmouth holds its head low. I chose the Northern Water Snake because it is interesting and I knew nothing about it. The Northern Water Snake has round eyes compared to the Cottonmouth, which has catlike slits for eyes. Harris Center for Conservation Education. Rarely found far from water. The Northern Water Snake moves quicker than the Cottonmouth. These snakes can be brown, gray, reddish, or brownish-black in color. Has a brown or grayish base color with numerous brown or black blotches or bands. Habitat: Found in aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats such as streams, ponds, swamps, and marshes. The Northern Water Snake is active day and night. Let us know what's going on! The belly has black or red half-moon shapes that vary in pattern and arrangement. Photo by Mike Marchand. During the night they hunt sleeping minnows and other small fish. Its diet consists of tadpoles, frogs, salamanders, fish (both alive and dead), crayfish, large aquatic insects, small turtles, birds, and occasionally rodents and other snakes. The bottommost one was seen in Hopkinton NH. pleuralis (Midland water snake), Subspecies: N.s. ... thank a Northern water snake for eating one for lunch! They will also release musk, a smelly fume. Low around 50F. Enable JavaScript by changing your browser options, and then try again. Their saliva contains a substance that will make bites bleed more, but it poses little risk to humans. The Northern water snake is a large, nonvenomous, common snake native to North America. This is not the species to help you hone your snake-catching skills! New Hampshire is home to only one venomous snake, the timber rattlesnake, which is exceptionally rare and is protected by law. W ho can empty a New Hampshire pond of swimmers almost as fast as a shark sighting on Cape Cod? These are examples of water snakes. High 64F. You can find Northern Water Snakes from Southeast Maine to Northeast Colorado to South to North Oklahoma to the north part of the coastal plain states. Did you capture regional wildlife with your camera recently? The northern water snakes are the only type of water snake in NH. Photo by Mike Marchand. During winter hibernates underwater or in holes near water. Distribution: Throughout NH except far north. A dark Northern water snake with stub tail. It is also harmless. Select image for larger view. You have permission to edit this article. They are not on the NH endangered list. If they are picked up they will bite repeatedly. If you leave it be, it will leave you be, but Northern water snakes do respond aggressively when confronted.