Our class went out to Hueston Woods State Park on April 22 to a location called the Quarry picnic area where a nice rocky creek flows, providing great habitat for a number of herps. I found this young northern/midland water snake (Nerodia sipedon) about 10 inches in length hanging out under a medium sized rock about 6 or so feet from the water. Water snakes are known for having a really unpleasant disposition and this one was no different. As I tried to grab its head to catch it, it of course tried to bite me, and then continued to try to twist its twisty little mouth around after I caught it trying to bite me. I avoided a bite, but I was promptly defecated on (that yellow paste on my hand in the picture), and probably musked....and that smelled pretty horrible...I don't know exactly how to describe it, but it stinks. Not exactly a dignified way to defend yourself, but effective.
So, water snakes in general enjoy living near water (hence the name) and will dine on tadpoles, frogs, crayfish, small fish and mammals. They are not venomous, but are sometimes mistaken for the venomous eastern massasauga and killed. They breed from April to June and are ovoviparous, meaning the females carry the eggs inside her until they hatch, so she bears live young (how many depends on her size).
(Paula Cimprich, Miami University OH)
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