Banded Water Snake: The banded water snake
also known as the Nerodia Fasciata Fasciata is one of the types
of snakes that you rarely see. In the southern area of North
America is mostly where these snakes are found. Over time, they
have adopted many scientific names such as Natrix Sipedon
Fasciata, Tropidonotous Fasciatus, and Coluber Fasciatus. These
snakes can grow up to over 40 inches long and they appear as
reddish brown or deep brown. Their bellies are yellow in color
with red or black spots that are bright enough to be noticed.
However, their skin may become darker with age. These snakes
often have cross bands on their backs and sides. Some of them
are wider while others are narrower. They are keeled, heavy
bodied and often lose their banding as they age.
Brown Water Snakes are semi-aquatic in nature
and have a number of different names including water pilot,
great water snake, false moccasin, aspic, pied water snake,
water rattler, water rattle and southern water snake to name a
few. Their scientific name is Nerodia Tqaxispilota. The body of
the Brown Water Snake is quite bulky. The neck is thin as
compared to the head. It is brown or rusty brown in color and
has around 25 dark colored square blotches on its back. These
sports are present on the side of the belly as well and also run
from the eyes to the jaw. The belly color varies from brown to
yellow with the presence of black crescents and brown splotches.
They measure 30 to 60 inches in length while the longest one
ever recorded stood at 70 inches. Males are smaller and lighter
as compared to females. Eyes and nostrils are placed on top of
the head in such a way that it is able to see and breathe by
bringing just a little portion of the head above water level
while rest of the body stay submerged. The thin neck and broad
face structure gives them a diamond-headed appearance. About 25
to 33 rows of dorsal scales are present in the middle part of
the body.
Cottonmouth: Cottonmouth snakes, otherwise
known as water moccasins, are a medium sized snake, often
growing to be four feet in length, and I've even seen up to five
feet. They are generally a dark shade of brown or a dull black
and will occasionally have lighter banding visible on their
sides. The younger snakes have lighter color and more distinct
patterns. The body of this snake is considered to be bulky with
a distinct neck going into a relatively large, triangular head.
The tail also tapers off quickly at the end of the body, from
fat to thin. Like most pit vipers, the cottonmouth has pupils
which are shaped like slits. This snake is considered very
venomous, producing a toxin which prohibits the ability of the
blood to clot while destroying tissue on a cellular level. Any
area that comes in contact with water moccasin venom will begin
to hemorrhage, giving the name "cytotoxic" to this type of
poison.
Florida is one of the largest states in the country, not only in
terms of size but also in population. Tens of millions of
Americans live in this sunny state, as it is appealing to people
of all generations. The warm climate and numerous beaches make
it a great vacation spot as well as a great place to live.
Of course, people are not the only creatures that live in
Florida. The state is the home to many different reptiles,
including 50 different species of snakes. Because of the
marshlands, warm temperatures, and swampy areas, Florida makes
for the ideal location for snakes to reside. They need warmer
weather to maintain body temperature, and find that the large
number of insects and small animals makes this the perfect
location to find various forms of food.
While there are 50 different kinds of snakes in the state, 44 of
those species are absolutely harmless to human beings. They eat
such things as insects, rodents, and other small animals, but do
not pose any kind of a risk to human beings because they don’t
contain any kind of venom.
At least, they don’t pose a serious risk to human beings. These
snakes can still have such things as bacteria that is in their
scales or in their mouth. When bitten, a human being is still
susceptible to the effects the bacteria may have on them, which
means that all persons need to be treated should they be bitten
by a snake, regardless of if it is venomous or not.
Examples of non-venomous snakes that you would find in Florida
include such things as the rattlesnake, the striped crayfish
snake, the Queen snake, and the rainbow snake. A form of snake
that is found along the marsh areas is the salt marsh snake, and
along the eastern shoreline it is quite common to see the
eastern ribbon snake. The common garter snake is also found in
great abundance in the state.
While these snakes pose a very limited threat to you and your
family, the reality is that there are six very deadly forms of
snakes that live in Florida. These venomous snakes are
dangerous, and have been known to bite human beings and pets,
causing illness and even death.
There are three different forms of rattlesnakes that are found
in the state of Florida. These include the eastern diamondback,
the timber rattlesnake, and the dusky pick me rattlesnake. All
of these have very dark complexions with stripes and dots of
white and gray areas along the body, which make it very
difficult to see in the brush or terrain area. Some have even
found when standing in a rocky area that the snakes blended in
so well that they were barely visible. That means that they pose
quite a danger because they may not be recognized by you and
tell they are on top of you.
There is one copperhead snake in Florida, the southern
copperhead, which is often found in the highland areas of the
state. The eastern coral snake is also found here, and is
distinguished by a large yellow band that goes around the body
and is positioned just beyond the eyes of the snake.
One snake that poses a considerable risk is the cottonmouth,
also known as a water moccasin. Because Florida has a large
number of swamps and marshland, these snakes can be found in
great abundance, meaning that you could be at risk each time you
go in the water. Before entering the water in areas like this,
it is smart to look and see if the cottonmouth is known to live
there.
For more information about types of Florida water snakes, go to
my Snake
Removal - How to Get Rid of Snakes home page.