HARMLESS. The Common Watersnake is characterized by keeled scales, a divided anal scale, a dark brown, orange, yellow, red, and gray half-moon and speckled pattern widely spaced and scattered on the front part of a gray or whitish belly (these markings are closer together or fused on the rear portion of the belly, making it appear darker), and dark, complete bands on the front part of the body and alternating rows of dark blotches on the back and sides of the rear portion of the body. This snake may be gray or light brown, with dark gray or brown bands and blotches (young and young adults), or uniform dark gray with no pattern (old adults). Young specimens are more brightly colored and have a more contrasting pattern than adults. Adult males have longer tails than females. Adult females grow larger (twice the mass and 1.2 times the length) than males.
Adults attain 56.0-106.7 cm (22-42 inches) in total length. The largest specimen from Kansas is a sex undetermined (though certainly a female) (KU 288637) from Jackson County with a total length of 120.8 cm (47½ inches) collected by James Gubanyi on 21 October 1998. The maximum length throughout the range is 149.9 cm (59 inches) (Conant and Collins, 1998). The maximum weight for a Kansas specimen is 480 grams (1 pound, 1 ounce).
Largely confined to the riparian areas in the western half of Kansas, all the way into Colorado along the Arkansas and Republican rivers. In the eastern half, it is more widespread and may be commonly found around ponds and rocky streams.
This snake is found in almost any aquatic situation, from fast-flowing rocky streams and rivers to swamps, lakes, and marshes. It appears to become active at a lower temperature than most other snakes and has a preferred optimal temperature near 77°F. Taggart (1992) observed this snake sunning on the north bank of Shoal Creek in Cherokee County on 1 January, at an air temperature of 47°F; the creek had a thin layer of ice extending three to four feet from the shoreline.
The Common Watersnake is active from March to November, temperatures permitting. Like many snakes, it is active during the day in spring and fall and becomes more nocturnal in the summer. This species spends much of its time basking in the sun on branches and logs which overhang, or are near, water; it can be discovered easily by looking under rocks along streams in eastern Kansas.
Apparently, this snake spends the cold winter months in a variety of retreats, ranging from deep, dry crevices and holes on rocky, wooded hillsides to below water level in crayfish burrows in lowland areas.
Mating in this species occurs during the spring, and courtship involves the male positioning himself alongside the female and rubbing his chin on her neck while he spasmodically jerks his body to stimulate her to copulate. More than one male may copulate with a single female. The young are born from August to October. The number of young per litter varies from 6 to 66 (Fitch, 1985), with an average of 20-25. Some females may produce young only every other year. Pilch (1982) recorded a brood of 33 young born in early September to a female from Douglas County. Species of Nerodia are viviparous and develop functional placentae that support gas exchange and maternal–fetal transfer of water and ions. Stable-isotope evidence demonstrates maternal amino acid allocation to embryos during gestation, confirming organic nutrient transfer. Nevertheless, yolk remains the dominant source of embryonic dry mass; thus, Nerodia are best described as predominantly lecithotrophic viviparous snakes with incipient placentotrophy.
Diener (1957) showed that fish make up over 75 percent of the diet of the Common Watersnake. It also eats frogs and toads. Rundquist and Collins (1977) and Collins and Caldwell (1978) reported an adult Mudpuppy (KU 174546) discovered while being consumed by a Common Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) in a shallow area of Shoal Creek at Schermerhorn Park, Cherokee County. Gray and Douglas (1989) recorded this snake preying on Southern Redbelly Dace in isolated pools on the Konza Prairie near Manhattan. The Common Watersnake uses an 'entrapment' behavior when preying on fish in drying pools. Riedle (1998) examined the stomach contents of three Common Watersnakes from Montgomery County. One adult snake, estimated to be 700 mm TL, was observed swallowing a 120 mm Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). A juvenile snake, approximately 207 mm TL, contained an adult Blanchard's Cricket Frog (Acris blanchardi), and another juvenile, approximately 210 mm TL, contained a small sunfish (Lepomis sp.), which was 35 mm in length.
First reported in Kansas by Hallowell (1857) from specimens (no other associated data) received at the Academy of Natural Science, Philadelphia, from William A. Hammond, post surgeon at Fort Riley. Hallowell(1857) described Tropidonotus obliquus (= Nerodia sipedon) (ANSP 5016) from among those specimens. The earliest existing specimen (MCZ 5913) was collected in 1879 by J. Barbour. The MCZ catalog provides no other information, except that the specimen was received from the Smithsonian Institution in 1879 and that penciled-in notes question whether the actual locality is Kearney County, Kansas (where this species occurs along the Arkansas River and adjacent sand pits). This record is a bit problematic: while the listed state is Kansas, the locality is Fort Kearney (= Nebraska). At this time, the shipping point was often used as the locality for specimens collected up to 450 miles away. The Common Watersnake does occur along the Platte River near the site of Fort Kearney.
Beatson (1976) studied and analyzed the pattern and coloration of this snake in Chase County. He concluded that the change from the contrasting bright body color and pattern of young Common Watersnakes to the more uniform, darker pattern of old adults is related to changes in habitat and to pressure from predators. Young specimens usually inhabit small, rocky, fast-flowing streams, and their color and pattern blend readily with surrounding debris. Adults tend to migrate to larger, more open bodies of water where contrasting patterns and bright colors would be too conspicuous. The reason for this change in color pattern with age undoubtedly holds for the Plain-bellied Watersnake as well.
Based on a captive specimen, Snider and Bowler (1992) reported a maximum longevity for this snake of nine years, seven months, and 24 days.
References
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Perry, Janice. 1977. KHS members achieve goal: Get Cottonmouth. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (21):3-4.
Curl, Richard L. 1978. Final Environmental Statement: Milford Lake Kansas operation and maintenance. US Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District. 158 pp.
Warner, M. and R. Wencel. 1978. Chikaskia River study held near Caldwell. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (25):15-16.
Skie, Shelley and Martha Bickford. 1978. KHS takes to the field in July at Winfield. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (26):42798.
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Collins, Joseph T. 1989. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1988. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (75):15-18.
Collins, Joseph T. 1989. First Kansas herp counts held in 1989. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (77):11-.
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Collins, Joseph T. 1991. Results of third Kansas herp count held during April-May 1991. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (85):9-13.
Collins, Joseph T. 1992. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1991. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (87):12-17.
Taggart, Travis W. 1992. Observations on Kansas amphibians and reptiles. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (88):13-15.
Collins, Joseph T. 1992. Results of the fourth Kansas herp count held during April-May 1992. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (89):10-.
Taggart, Travis W. 1992. Results of the KHS annual field trip to Sheridan County State Lake. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (90):3-4.
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Rundquist, Eric M. 1995. Results of the seventh annual KHS herp counts held 1 April-31 May 1995. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (101):11-17.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1995. Additional KHS herp counts for 1995. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (102):11-.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1996. Results of the eighth annual KHS herp counts Held 1 April-31 May 1996. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (104):6-17.
Miller, Larry L. 1996. Third graders conduct amphibian and reptile field study. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (106):15.
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Rundquist, Eric M. 1997. Results of the ninth annual KHS herp counts held 1 April-31 May 1997. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (108):12-17.
Collins, Joseph T. 1997. A report on the KHS fall field trip to the Marais des Cygnes wildlife refuges. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (110):2-3.
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Riedle, J. Darren. 1998. Water snake feeding records. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (111):16.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1998. Results of the tenth annual KHS herp counts for 1998, held 1 April-31 May. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (112):11-18.
Collins, Joseph T. 1998. Results of the KHS silver anniversary fall field trip. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (114):6-.
Rundquist, Eric M. 1999. Kansas Herpetological Society herp counts: A 10 year summary and evaluation. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (115):42962.
Collins, Joseph T. 1999. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1998. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (116):14-15.
Taggart, Travis W. 1999. Cherokee County fall 1999 herp count. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (117):6.
Fitch, Henry S. 2000. Population structure and biomass of some common snakes in central North America. Scientific Papers of the Natural History Museum, University of Kansas (17):1-7.
Collins, Joseph T. 2000. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1999. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (119):7-9.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2000. Observations on reptilian predation. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (120):18.
Taggart, Travis W. 2000. KHS spring field trip sets record for attendance. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (120):5-5.
Doren, Van, Mark D., and Curtis J. Schmidt. 2000. A herpetological survey of the Fort Larned National Historic Site, Pawnee County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (120):8-11.
Taggart, Travis W. 2000. Biogeographic analysis of the reptiles (Squamata) in Ellis County, Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (121):7-16.
Rundquist, Eric M. 2000. Results of the eleventh and twelfth annual KHS herpetofaunal counts for 1999-2000, held 1 April-31 May. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (122):11-16.
Taggart, Travis W. 2000. Results of the KHS 2000 fall field trip. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (122):6-8.
Johnson, Richard W. 2001. Spatial ecology of the Eastern Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum flagellum) in and eastern Texas upland community. Thesis. Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas. 54 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2001. The KHS 2001 spring field trip: A rainy rendezvous. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (124):12-14.
Rundquist, Eric M. 2001. Results of the thirteenth annual KHS herp counts for 2001, held 1 April-30 June. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (125):13-16.
Himes, John G. 2002. The role of the Midland Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon, as a competitor, predator, and prey in freshwater communities. Dissertation. University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. 101 pp.
Kingsbury, Bruce and Joanna Gibson. 2002. Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest. Publication of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Address not given. 152 pp.
Fogell, Daniel D. 2002. Occurrence and relative abundance of amphibians and reptiles at
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Homestead National Monument of
America, and Pipestone National Monument within the Heartland Inventory
and Monitoring Network. Interim Report. National Park Service, Washington, D.C.. 6 pp.
Riedle, J. Daren and A. Hynek. 2002. Amphibian and reptile inventory of the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant, Labette County, Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (2):18-20.
Ellis, Mark R. 2002. Fall 2002 KHS field trip to Washington County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (2):4-5.
Taggart, Travis W. 2002. Results of the KHS 2002 fall field Trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (4):11-13.
Miller, Larry L. 2002. Shawnee County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (4):15.
Freeman, Craig C. 2003. A natural areas inventory of the Ft. Leavenworth Military Reservation, Leavenworth County, Kansas. II. Open-file Report No. 117. Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas. 199 pp.
Fogell, Daniel D. 2003. A herpetofaunal inventory of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Homestead National Monument of America, and Pipestone National Monument within the Heartland Inventory
and Monitoring Network. National Park Service, Washington, D.C.. 59 pp.
Suleiman, G. 2003. Fort Riley herpetofaunal count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (5):11-12.
Platt, Dwight R. 2003. Lizards and snakes (Order Squamata) of Harvey County, Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (6):13-20.
Fitch, Henry S. 2003. Reproduction in snakes of the Fitch Natural History Reservation in northeastern Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (6):21-24.
Taggart, Travis W. 2003. Results of the 2003 KHS spring field trip to Wilson County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (6):2-5.
Miller, Larry L. 2003. Sumner County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (7):10.
Zerwekh, Mike. 2003. Large Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon) from Kansas. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (7):12.
Suleiman, Gibran. 2003. Fort Riley herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (7):9.
Taggart, Travis W. 2003. Results of the KHS 2003 fall field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (8):14-15.
Fitch, Henry S., Scott Sharp, and Kylee Sharp. 2003. Snakes of the University of Kansas biotic succession area. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (8):20-21.
Gibbons, J. Whitfield and Michael E. Dorcas. 2004. North American Water Snakes. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.
Delisle, Jennifer M. and William H. Busby. 2004. Biological inventory for vertebrates at Fort Larned National Historic Site of the southern plains network. Natural Heritage Inventory, Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 61 pp.
LaForce, Russell W. 2004. Life history notes: Diet: Nerodia sipedon. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (10):11.
Daniel, James K. 2004. Cherokee County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (11):10.
Volkmann, Al. 2004. Cowley County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (11):10.
Gubanyi, James E. 2004. Wilson County herp count. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (11):12.
Taggart, Travis W. 2005. Results of the KHS 2005 fall field trip [to Crawford County]. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (16):19-21.
Taggart, Travis W. 2006. Distribution and status of Kansas herpetofauna in need of information. State Wildlife Grant T7. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. vii + 106 pp.
Wilgers, Dustin J., Eva A. Horne, Brett K. Sandercock, and Allan W. Volkmann. 2006. Effects of rangeland management on community dynamics of the herpetofauna of the tallgrass prairie. 62:378-388.
Murrow, Daniel G. 2009. KHS 2009 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (29):42769.
Schmidt, Curtis J. 2009. Geographic distribution: Nerodia sipedon. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (30):11.
Pattishall, Abigail and David Cundall. 2009. Habitat use by synurbic watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon). Herpetologica 65(2):183-198.
Collins, Joseph T., Suzanne L. Collins, and Travis W. Taggart. 2010. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles of Kansas. Eagle Mountain Publishing., Provo, Utah. 400 pp.
Murrow, Daniel G. 2010. Kansas Herpetological Society spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (33):2-3.
Taggart, Travis W. 2011. Kansas Herpetological Society 2011 spring field trip to be held in Chautauqua County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (37):5-7.
Taggart, Travis W. 2011. Results of the KHS Spring Field Trip to Chautauqua County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (38):2-4.
Houck, Mike. 2011. Fort Riley Herpetofaunal Survey for 2011. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (39):9.
Rohweder, Megan R. 2012. Spatial conservation prioritization of Kansas for terrestrial vertebrates. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 151 pp.
Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 2012. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada: Second Edition, Revised and Updated. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 152 pp.
Walley, Harlan D., R. B. King, J. M. Ray, and T. L. Wusterbarth. 2012. Nerodia sipedon. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles (899):1-58.
Taggart, Travis W. 2013. KHS 2012 Spring Field Trip to Bourbon County State Lake. Collinsorum 2(3/4):3.
Taggart, Travis W. 2013. KHS 2012 Fall Field Trip to Atchison County State Lake. Collinsorum 2(3/4):4.
Taggart, Travis W. 2013. KHS 2013 Fall Field Trip to Butler County State Lake. Collinsorum 2(3/4):6.
Mardis, Dexter and Kevin Scott. 2013. 2013 Kansas Herpetofaunal Counts. Collinsorum 2(3/4):7.
Taggart, Travis W. 2014. Results of the 2014 KHS Fall Field Trip to Woodson County. Collinsorum 3(2-4):12.
Taggart, Travis W. 2014. Recent scientific and standard English name changes effecting the Kansas herpetofauna. Collinsorum 3(2-4):9-10.
Houck, Mike. 2015. 2015 Fort Riley Herpetofaunal Count final report. Collinsorum 4(1):10-11.
Taggart, Travis W. 2015. Spring Field Trip to the Greenhorn Limestone of Russell County. Collinsorum 4(3):2.
Taggart, Travis W. 2015. Summer Field Trip In The Harvey County Sandhills. Collinsorum 4(3):3.
Taggart, Travis W. 2015. Fall Field Trip Held In Washington County. Collinsorum 4(3):4.
Pittman, Galen L., Henry S. Fitch, and W. Dean Kettle. 2016. Vertebrate animals on the Fitch Natural History Reservation (1948-2002). Kansas Biological Survey Report Number 188, Lawrence. 48 pp.
Powell, Robert, Roger Conant, and Joseph T. Collins. 2016. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. 494 pp.
Taggart, Travis W. 2016. Results of the KHS Summer field trip to Caney River, Chautauqua County, Kansas. Collinsorum 5(2-3):4-5.
Huggins, Donald, Jude Kastens, Debbie Baker, and Craig Freeman. 2017. Conversion of existing farm ponds to wetlands in agricultural landscapes for mitigation, land use treatment and conservation with a perspective toward climate change. Kansas Biological Survey Report No. 189. Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 91 pp.
Crother, Brian I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Eighth edition. Herpetological Circulars (43):1-102.
Taggart, Travis W. 2017. Results of the 2017 KHS Spring Field Trip to Elk County, Kansas. Collinsorum 6(2-3):6-8.
Houck, Mike. 2018. Herp Count: Fort Riley Military Installation. Collinsorum 7(1):17.
Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 2019. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada. Third Edition. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 192 pp.
Daniel, Richard E. and Brian S. Edmond. 2020. Atlas of Missouri Amphibians and Reptiles for 2019. Privately printed, Columbia, Missouri. 86 pp.
Riedle, J. Daren. 2020. Revisiting Kansas Herpetological Society field trip and Herp Count data:
Distributional patterns and trend data of Kansas amphibians and reptiles. Collinsorum 9(1):7-16.
Swartout, Merridith, Philip Vogring, J. Alex Baecher, Chelsea Kross, and John D. Willison. 2020. Prey size and feeding rate do not influence trophic morphology of juvenile water snakes
(Nerodia sipedon). Herpetologica 76(1):53–60.
Hullinger, Allison, Zackary Cordes, Daren Riedle, and William Stark. 2020. Habitat assessment of the Broad-headed Skink (Plestiodon laticeps)
and the associated squamate community in eastern Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 123(1-2):137-150.
Taggart, Travis W and Sarah L Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Neosho County: KHS-2020-01. Collinsorum 9(3):11.
Taggart, Meg, Amelia Jaeger, Jesse J. Taggart, and Travis W. Taggart. 2021. Herp Count: Russell County: KHS-2020-22. Collinsorum 9(3):14-15.
Tyson, Kelsea, Lexis Mader, Thomas Zapletal, Jeremiah Cline, Alyssa Farney, Loegan Hill, Jainee Cowen, Camron Matteson, and David Penning. 2021. Measuring herpetofaunal biodiversity in southwest Missouri. Collinsorum 10(2):13-18.
Nuñez, Leroy P., Levi N Gray, David Weisrock, and Frank T Burbrink. 2023. The phylogenomic and biogeographic history of the Gartersnakes, Watersnakes, and Allies (Natricidae: Thamnophiini). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 186(2023):107844.