Can Someone Tell Me What Kind of Snakes These Are?

kenallgood · 03-06-17, 01:18 PM

Can Someone Tell Me What Kind of Snakes These Are?

Located in Middle Tennessee.

Thanks

**Pareeeee** · 03-06-17, 01:58 PM

Looks like some sort of watersnake (non-venomous). Tennessee has several species of them, not sure on the exact one but it looks a lot like Nerodia sipedon to me.

RAD House · 03-06-17, 02:34 PM

Looks to be banded water snakes (Nerodia fasciata). Totally harmless.

FWK · 03-06-17, 02:50 PM

Midland Water Snakes (Nerodia sipedon pleuralis), harmless. These guys primarily eat fish and amphibians. This is breeding season, so it's likely the larger there is a female and the others are amorous males. Nice find.

Broadbanded Water Snakes (Nerodia fasciata confluens, the only subspecies of N. fasciata that occurs in Tennessee) can only be found in extreme western Tennessee, along the Mississippi River.

kenallgood · 03-06-17, 03:06 PM

Thanks. Makes sense since they are right next to my pond.

RAD House · 03-06-17, 03:23 PM

Darn, close. Nerodia baffles me as they look so similar sometimes.