Natricidae
Southern Watersnake
Nerodia fasciata
A closer look
Harmless but defensive when grabbed; frequently confused with cottonmouths. It is most often associated with wetlands and bayous and typically feeds on fish and frogs.
- Habitat
- Wetlands & bayous
- On the menu
- Fish and frogs
- Behavior
- Usually avoids people and uses cover or water as an escape route when disturbed.
Not considered venomous to people. Observe without handling, and never corner or relocate a wild snake.
Safety & bite guidance ↗Where it is listed
A sense of place.
Checklist presence only. A highlighted state is not a local range boundary. Territory tiles are schematic.
State & territory checklist
About continuous range data
A verified habitat-model layer is not available for this species in this release. Earlier broad sketches connected jurisdiction locations; they did not show measured occurrence or USGS habitat predictions.
Use USGS distribution resources ↗ for available modeled habitat data.
Names, sources & image evidence
Also known as: Broad-banded Watersnake
Taxonomy: provisional. Territory checklist entries may be provisional. Field descriptions include broad group-level natural-history summaries.
Research Grade iNaturalist observation 23290781 has exact taxon Nerodia fasciata
Conservation & local rules
Collection, possession, relocation, and protection rules vary by state and territory. Check the relevant wildlife agency before taking action. Leave wild snakes where they are.