Field Guide to Maryland's Snakes (Order Squamata)

Plain-bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster)
Photo of Plain-bellied Watersnake courtesy of Dave Wilson
Former Name: Red-bellied Watersnake
Size: 30 - 48 inches. Record - 62 inches.
Appearance: A rich, chocolate brown to ebony black back, with strongly keeled scales. Diagnostic feature is the deep red to orange-red unmarked or plain belly, which contrasts abruptly with the back coloration. The red is usually visible on the throat and along the lower jaw. Thick-bodied and “bread loaf” shaped in cross-section. Young are boldly patterned black on a pinkish ground color. Photo of Plain-bellied Watersnake courtesy of John White
Habitats: Forested riparian areas, particularly Atlantic White-cedar and Baldcypress Swamps, and shrub swamps, from brackish to tidal fresh waters of coastal plain rivers. May travel considerable distances from water during humid periods of mid-summer. All records are from the lower Eastern Shore where it may be locally common, though rarely seen.
How to Find: Drive (or bike) slowly on roads near swamps in mid-summer looking for animals basking in the road or road-killed individuals. Warning: Will readily inflict a painful bite when handled. Non-venomous. Please report any sightings or road kills to DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service as this species is tracked as a rare Watchlist species. Photo of Habitat for Plain-bellied Watersnake courtesy Rebecca Chalmers
Distribution in Maryland: Found only on the Lower Eastern Shore.

Plain-bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster)