Plainbelly Water Snake

The Plainbelly Water Snake will sometimes flatten its head and neck to try to look like a cobra if it feels threatened.

 Kenneth S Boone

Many people who see a large, thick, dark-colored snake in the water immediately assume it’s a venomous Cottonmouth. And while that is sometimes the case, there are a number of other water snakes resident in the Lake Martin area that pose no danger to people. Before you pick up the hoe, it’s a good idea to know the difference.

The Plainbelly Water Snake, Nerodia erythrogaster, is one of those harmless snakes often mistaken for a Cottonmouth. This snake goes by a number of other common names, including Red-Bellied Water Snake (erythrogaster means red belly in Greek), Yellowbelly Water Snake, Copper-bellied Moccasin, Orange-Bellied Moccasin, Redbelly or Red-Bellied Black Snake or simply Water Snake.

“We’ve got a good number of water snakes in Alabama, none of them are venomous,” Anderson said. “Some bask frequently up in trees … If a snake drops in your boat it’s almost definitely a water snake.”

~ Dr. Wes Anderson