# Banded Watersnake (*Nerodia fasciata*) The Banded Watersnake is a friendly snake that loves to swim in water! It has beautiful stripes that help it blend in with its surroundings, making it a great swimmer and a fun creature to spot. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 27 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Banded Watersnake](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Nerodia_fasciata_confluens_321616031.jpg&width=800) Photo: Brady Reed, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nerodia_fasciata_confluens_321616031.jpg) ## Appearance The Banded Watersnake has a thick body with distinct dark crossbands (brown, reddish-brown, or black) on a lighter background (tan, gray, or yellow). Its bands are usually wider in the middle of its back. It also has a dark stripe running from its eye to the corner of its jaw. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Serpentes - **Family:** Colubridae - **Genus:** Nerodia ## Interesting facts - Female watersnakes can have up to 50 live babies at once! Wow! - Many people mistake them for venomous cottonmouths, but they are harmless! - They're like submarine hunters, catching fish underwater! - When scared, they might release a smelly musk to warn you off. ## Special abilities - **Underwater Hunter:** Banded Watersnake can hunt for fish and frogs underwater because it is an excellent swimmer and can hold its breath for extended periods. - **Camouflage Bands:** Banded Watersnake has patterned crossbands that help them blend into the muddy, reedy banks and mucky water of their habitat, hiding from predators and prey. - **Live Birth:** Banded Watersnake can give birth to live baby snakes, called neonates, which are ready to swim and hunt on their own right away. - **Defensive Flattening:** Banded Watersnake can flatten its body and head when threatened, making itself look larger and more intimidating to scare away potential attackers. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 60-150 cm - **Weight:** 0.2-2 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 3 km/h - **Swim Speed:** 5 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 10-50 - **Maximum Depth:** 8 m ## Diet & Feeding These aquatic snakes are expert hunters, mainly eating fish, frogs, and salamanders from freshwater habitats. - **Age differences:** Young snakes eat smaller versions of adult prey, such as small fish and tadpoles. - **Primary Foods:** fish, frogs, salamanders, tadpoles, crayfish - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Eastern Mosquitofish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-mosquitofish) (*Gambusia holbrooki*) — A common food source in southern waterways. - **Hunts:** [Southern Leopard Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/southern-leopard-frog) (*Lithobates sphenocephalus*) — Often ambushed near the water's edge or caught swimming. - **Eaten by:** [American Alligator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-alligator) (*Alligator mississippiensis*) — Large alligators are predators of juvenile and adult watersnakes. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Predates on watersnakes encountered near water bodies. ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low If you see a snake, it's best to watch it from a distance and not touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Banded Watersnake? Compare the full body pattern, build, head markings and tail. Color can shift with age and lighting. Rules of thumb about triangular heads or round pupils aren't a reliable way to tell whether a snake is venomous. Snake Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Banded Watersnake? 60-150 cm ### How much does Banded Watersnake weigh? 0.2-2 kg ### How long does Banded Watersnake live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Banded Watersnake move? 3 km/h ### What does Banded Watersnake eat? These aquatic snakes are expert hunters, mainly eating fish, frogs, and salamanders from freshwater habitats. ### How fast can Banded Watersnake swim? 5 km/h ### Where is Banded Watersnake usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Foley Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/foley-downtown-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Houston Arboretum and Nature Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/houston-arboretum-and-nature-center) — Texas, US · Botanical Garden - [Jackson Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jackson-street-historic-district) — Louisiana, US · Historic District - [Louisiana Purchase State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/louisiana-purchase-state-park) — Arkansas, US · State Park - [Magnolia Plantation and Gardens (Charleston, South Carolina)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/magnolia-plantation-and-gardens-charleston-south-carolina) — South Carolina, US · Botanical Garden - [Secessionville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/secessionville-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District [View all places to see Banded Watersnake](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/banded-watersnake) ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Banded Watersnake: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/banded-watersnake)