Can you help me ID this snake?

[JohnTheCage]

Hey everyone just found this great site. I was hiking up in Northern New Jersey (The Ramapo Reservation) and I came upon this snake under a rock in the water.

http://i45.tinypic.com/4qik9g.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/15s7epf.jpg

Sorry for the bluriness of the second pic. You guys would know better than I.

Thanks in advance!

[infernalis]

Nerodiea Sipedon, common water snake, very pretty red bands too.

Looks like a female. The girls of the species are always thick, the guys are always slender.

They can hold their breath for a really long time too, I watched one feed in our creek out back a few weeks ago and it was just amazing.

Harmless.

[JohnTheCage]

Thank you, yes the colors were very beautiful the picture doesn't do it justice. When I saw her looked like her head was diamond shaped, so I thought it might have been a copperhead... rookie mistake it would seem!

[infernalis]

Thank you, yes the colors were very beautiful the picture doesn't do it justice. When I saw her looked like her head was diamond shaped, so I thought it might have been a copperhead... rookie mistake it would seem!

It's a common mistake that causes some people to panic and kill them.

Also a reason why I against minnow traps, once the snake enters the minnow trap to feed, they cannot get back out and drown.

at least when netting minnows, if you accidentally get a snake, the snake can get away.