Need Help Identifying Snake

adam1234 · 10-27-17, 08:05 PM

My son saw this on a creek bank (we're in Middle Tennessee). After doing some research we're still not clear on what kind of snake this is. Can anyone help with this?

FWK · 10-28-17, 01:24 PM

It is a Common Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon sp.), harmless. There are two subspecies of N. sipedon in Tennessee. Roughly the western half of Tennessee is Midland Water Snake (N. s. pleuralis) territory, the eastern half is Northern Water Snake (N. s. sipedon) territory. Exactly where the line is and what the differences in phenotype are is debatable. These feed primarily on fish and amphibians.