Red-bellied Watersnake Nerodia erythrogasterS2S3 (State rare)  -  Coastal Plain only    Synonyms: Plain-bellied Watersnake, Red-bellied Water Snake.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Reptilia   >   Order Squamata   >   Family Colubridae   >   Genus Nerodia   

Status:

Red-bellied Water Snake (Nerodia erythrogaster) is primarily a southern species, extending north into Maryland on the Eastern Shore coastal plain. This distinctive snake inhabits swamps, ponds, lakes and rivers, especially in bottomlands. Red-bellieds usually feed on amphibians (especially frogs) or fish, but will consume other suitable prey items if available (Tennant, 2003). Red-bellied Water Snake is ranked as S2 (state rare)-S3 (watch list) in Maryland due to its restricted distribution (Maryland DNR site).

There are 26 records in the project database.

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A Red-bellied Watersnake at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester Co., Maryland (10/12/2008). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Red-bellied Watersnake at Blackwater NWR, Dorchester Co., Maryland (10/12/2008). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Red-bellied Watersnake in Dorchester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Justin Lee, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Justin Lee via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Red-bellied Watersnake in Dorchester Co., Maryland (10/12/2008). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Red-bellied Watersnake in Dorchester Co., Maryland (5/8/2014). Photo by Jonathan Willey. (MBP list)

Red-bellied Watersnake in Dorchester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Wendy McCrady, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Wendy McCrady via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Red-bellied Watersnake in Dorchester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Wendy McCrady, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Wendy McCrady via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Red-bellied Watersnake in Dorchester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) jraiford, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by jraiford via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Red-bellied Watersnake in Dorchester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) jonn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by jonn via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Red-bellied Watersnake in Worcester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Anthony Deczynski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by adeczyn via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Red-bellied Watersnake in Dorchester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

Red-bellied Watersnake in Worcester Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Anthony Deczynski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by adeczyn via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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