ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Lake Erie Watersnake

 Lake Erie Watersnake

Lake Erie watersnake
The Lake Erie water snake, a subspecies of the Northern water snake, comes in a variety of colors, ranging from banded gray and brown blotches to solid gray. The Lake Erie watersnake was delisted from the federal threatened and endangered species list in 2011 and is a state threatened species.  This snake has one of the smallest geographic ranges of any vertebrate in the world and is only found on the islands of Lake Erie.
 

Lake Erie Water Snake
Nerodia sipedon insularum

At-a-Glance

• Typical foods: non-game fish and amphibians

• Length: 24-42 inches

• Ohio Status: Threatened 
Description
The Lake Erie water snake is similar to its relative, the Northern water snake, except that the dark pattern of crossbands is very pale or completely lacking. The general coloration is gray, greenish, or brownish. The belly is white or pale yellow, occasionally tinged with pink or orange down the center.

Habitat and Habits
In the summer, snakes prefer to spend time near the water's edge basking on the rocky shoreline or foraging just off shore. Overwintering sites are typically located within 76 yards of the shore in rocky substrates and are sometimes covered with soil, leaf litter, decaying wood, and grass. Overwintering sites include natural and man-made structures in open and wooded areas.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
This snake mates from late May to early June by forming "mating balls" consisting of one female and several males. Live birth of 30 or so pencil-sized young occurs in early September. Only about 15 percent of the young survive their first year.