Plain-bellied Watersnake

Snapshot

Also called the red-bellied watersnake, this large Nerodia is named for its bright, unpatterned orange-to-yellow belly. Adults often look plain dark brown or gray on top; juveniles are blotched like other watersnakes. Found across most of Georgia except the far southeast and high mountains, especially around wetlands rich in frogs. Non-venomous; leave alone.

Photos

 Wikimedia Commons — draft use; see MANIFEST.md for license.

 Wikimedia Commons — draft use; see MANIFEST.md for license.

 Wikimedia Commons — draft use; see MANIFEST.md for license.

 Wikimedia Commons — draft use; see MANIFEST.md for license.

Description and identification

SREL: usually about 30–48 inches. Adults typically dark brown, gray, or light brown with a distinctive plain bright orange to yellow underside. Juveniles pinkish to light brown with alternating dark blotches on back and sides (resembling northern and banded watersnakes) but already showing a plain belly. Juvenile pattern fades; adults look more uniform above. Females larger with proportionally shorter tails. Keeled scales; divided anal plate.

Look-alikes

Juvenile banded and northern watersnakes share blotching — check the plain bright belly. Cottonmouths are venomous pit vipers; plain-bellied watersnakes lack pits and often flee over land when threatened. Do not kill dark waterside snakes on sight.

Range in Georgia

Southeast Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont; absent from the Appalachians and peninsular Florida. Across most of South Carolina and Georgia except extreme southeastern Georgia. Full native range spans much of the eastern and central U.S. in suitable wetland systems — use the full-range map (when available), not a Georgia-only crop.

Full species range map

(Full native-range map pending — placeholder path maps/plain-bellied-watersnake-full-range.png. Georgia occurrence: see text; prefer GA DNR / georgiawildlife.com. Do not use Georgia-only art as the profile map.)

Habitat preferences

Rivers, lakes, creeks, wetlands, and swamps. Frequently basks near water on logs, branches, or shorelines. Strongly tied to temporary wetlands that produce amphibian prey.

Natural history

More terrestrial than many watersnakes — often moving over land or crossing roads on rainy summer nights. When threatened, typically flees onto land rather than into water. Common basker on logs and snags in rivers and cypress swamps.

Food preferences

Primarily amphibians, especially frogs; also fish.

Temperament and encounters

Non-venomous. Cornered individuals may bite; most encounters are brief views at the water’s edge. Identify from a distance and step back.

Conservation and legal notes

Common and widespread in much of its range; protected in Georgia. Wetland loss and amphibian declines can affect local numbers because of prey dependence.

In Georgia, non-venomous snakes are protected nongame wildlife. Per Georgia DNR materials summarizing O.C.G.A. §27-1-28, it is illegal (a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and a year in jail) to possess or kill many nongame wildlife species, including non-venomous snakes. It is also illegal to disturb or destroy dens, holes, or homes of wildlife or to use explosives, chemicals, or other devices to drive wildlife from those homes (O.C.G.A. §27-1-30). DNR emphasizes ecological value; needless killing of watersnakes mistaken for cottonmouths remains a serious problem. Report what DNR states; do not invent exceptions.

Georgia DNR’s georgiasnakes overview notes that of native snake species, only the eastern indigo and southern hognose are state-listed as threatened among the non-venomous fauna discussed there (indigo also federally threatened). Population trends for common species still suffer from roads and fear-based killing. Educational ID — especially watersnakes vs cottonmouths and corn snakes vs copperheads — is conservation work.

If you meet one

Give the snake room. Identify from a distance; do not handle, poke, or try to kill it. Most encounters end when people simply step back and let the animal move on. If a snake is somewhere people or pets cannot safely share space, Georgia DNR points residents to private wildlife-removal specialists rather than do-it-yourself confrontation. Local educators and relocators — including community resources around Cartersville such as Etowah Valley Exotics when appropriate — can help with identification and, when needed, safe relocation and outreach.

This species is not venomous. A defensive bite from a watersnake or other colubrid can still be painful and should be cleaned; seek medical advice if needed. Do not confuse “harmless” with “handle freely” — leave wild snakes alone.

Crossing roads after rain is normal snake behavior — slow down rather than swerve wildly. Teach kids to admire from a distance. Never pour gasoline or chemicals into holes (illegal and cruel under Georgia wildlife den-protection rules). If you want help identifying a clear photo taken from a safe distance, local educators can often assist without anyone touching the animal.