Plain-bellied Watersnake

Nerodia erythrogaster

The Plain-bellied Watersnake is a friendly snake that loves to swim! It has a smooth, shiny body that can be brown or gray, and it often hides near water to catch its favorite food, which is fish.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Plain-bellied Watersnake is a medium to large snake with a striking solid, unmarked belly that can be yellow, orange, or reddish. Its back is typically a uniform brown, gray, or olive, often lacking distinct patterns in adults, which makes it visually different from many banded watersnake species.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassSquamataOrderSerpentesFamilyColubridaeGenusNerodia

Plain-bellied Watersnake

Interesting facts

Even though they have "watersnake" in their name, they can climb trees to bask too!

Their bellies can be bright red, orange, or yellow, making them look very fancy!

They give birth to live babies, not eggs, up to 30 at once!

Young Plain-bellied Watersnakes often have faint patterns that disappear as they grow.

Special abilities

Plain-bellied Watersnake can hunt under the water because it can hold its breath, which helps them catch fish and frogs.

Plain-bellied Watersnake has a plain back coloration that helps them blend perfectly with murky water and riverbeds.

Plain-bellied Watersnake can release a strong-smelling musk when threatened, which helps them deter predators.

Measurements & details

Length: 76-150 cm
Weight: 0.5-1.5 kg
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Top Speed: 5 km/h
Swim Speed: 4 km/h
Clutch Size: 5-30
Maximum Depth: 5 m

Diet & Feeding

They are expert hunters, mostly feasting on fish, frogs, and salamanders they catch in the water.

Primary Foods

Minnows
Sunfish
Bullfrogs
Salamanders
Crayfish

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

hunts

Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

Preys on frogs and their tadpoles.

hunts

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

Eats various small fish species.

eaten by

American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

A major predator in their wetland homes.

eaten by

Snapping Turtle

Chelydra serpentina

Large turtles can prey on watersnakes.

Traits

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Camouflaged

Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.

Piscivorous

Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish.

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.