Plain-bellied Watersnake
Yellow-bellied Watersnake (N. e. flavigastor) and Copper-bellied Watersnake (N. e. neglecta) are the 2 subspecies recognized in Tennessee.
Yellow-bellied Watersnake occurs in south-central and southwestern Tennessee. The Copper-bellied Watersnake occurs in the lower Cumberland River and Tennessee River watersheds of Middle Tennessee.
Description: A medium-sized, semi-aquatic snake (30.0 to 48.0 inches in length) with a heavy body and keeled scales (not shiny).
Adults are uniformly reddish-brown to almost black with a grayish or greenish cast on the lower sides.
As the names suggest, bellies are plain yellow (sometimes with orange) in the Yellow-bellied Watersnake and red to orange-red (with brown dorsum color creeping onto belly) in the Copper-bellied Watersnake.
Young are boldly patterned with complete dark crossbands just behind head transitioning into alternating back and side blotches.
Similar Species: Red-bellied snake has 3 pale-colored nape spots. Red-bellied Mudsnake has a red and black checkered belly and red extends onto sides of the body. Other watersnakes have strongly patterned bellies.
Habitat: Found in quiet pools of water such as lakes, cypress swamps, wetlands, ponds, river sloughs, and slow-moving rivers.
Diet: Preference for frogs, toads, tadpoles, and salamanders; but also fish and crayfish.
Breeding information: Adults court and mate in spring. Females give live birth to relatively large litters (2-55) of young during the summer. The number of young per litter increases with an increase in the size of the female.
Status in Tennessee: Copper-bellied Watersnake is considered rare to very rare and vulnerable to extirpation by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
As with most watersnakes, Plain-bellied Watersnakes are needlessly killed by humans who mistake them for Cottonmouths.
Fun Facts:
- Unique among watersnakes in that it flees onto land instead of diving underwater when approached.
Best places to see in Tennessee: Edges of lakes and swamps in lower Cumberland River basin and in West Tennessee.
