Southern Water Snake

Breeding:
Live-bearing. Mates January to February in extreme southerly parts of range. 2-57 young, 7-10 ½ “ long, are born June to August.

Habitat:
Fresh and saltwater situation; permanent lakes, ponds, cypress and mangrove swamps, marshes, and sluggish streams; sea level to ca. 1,000’.

Range:
Coastal plain, North Carolina to Florida Keys, west to e. Texas; north in Mississippi
River Valley to extreme s. Illinois.

Subspecies:
Banded, red, brown, or black crossbands, most darken with age, squarish spots on belly; coastal plain, North Carolina to Florida panhandle west to sw. Alabama.
Gulf Salt Marsh, yellowish back, dorsolaterally and ventrolateral stripes, row of large white or yellow spots down midline of belly; Gulf coast, nw. Florida to se. Texas.
Mangrove, greenish with dark blotches or crossbands, occasionally striped on neck, often plain red or reddish-orange; coastal Florida, vicinity of Miami south though Keys, north to Tampa Bay area; n. Cuba.
Broad-banded, 11-17 broad dark crossbands, irregularly shaped yellow interspaces, large squarish blotches on belly; w. Alabama to e. Texas, north in Mississippi River Valley to extreme s. Illinois.
Florida, dark spots on side, wormlike red or black markings on belly; peninsular Florida; intergrades with Banded in panhandle and se. Alabama; introduce into Brownsville, Texas.
Atlantic Salt Marsh, stripes on forepart of body, remainder light with dark blotches, broad light spots down midline of belly; coastal Florida, from near Daytona Beach to Vero Beach.

Fond of sunning, but active mostly at night afar heavy rains where frogs are moving
about. In cool whether it is often found under vegetative debris. Commonly mistake for the venomous Cottonmouth, it defenses itself vigorously when disturbed. Feeds on frogs, tadpoles, and fish. Interbreeds extensive with Northern Water Snake in some parts of its range.