The Northern Water Snake or Nerodia sipedon is very common in Massachusetts and is quite harmless.It comes in a variety of colors and patterns, but in general the snake has a dark brown background with lighter brown bands or rings spaced evenly down its length. By the time the water snake gets elderly, the rings fade so that its entire body seems one dark color.

Water snakes give birth to their baby snakes live. In the winter they hibernate in dens.

These harmless snakes sometimes get mistaken for dangerous snakes and harassed. They are not venomous! If you do bother one, it might try to bite you in self defense, but all this would do is make holes in your hand (or leg or whatever) just as if you were bit by a dog or cat. Northern Water Snakes are good at keeping our mouse population down. They tend to live - as you might guess - near the water.

Please be gentle if you see a water snake, and let it continue to do its important job in nature. This northern water snake was photographed on the cart path at the Blackstone National Golf Course in Sutton in May.







Snakes in Sutton Massachusetts
Animals and Birds in Sutton Massachusetts

Sutton Massachusetts Photo Collection