Nebraskaland

14 Nebraskaland • April 2026 IN THE FIELD If you spend enough time along Nebraska's lakes, rivers or wetlands, you'll likely spot a long, dark snake gliding effortlessly across the surface or coiled on a sunny bank. Chances are, it's a northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon) — and the odds are even higher that someone nearby will immediately call it a "water moccasin" or "cottonmouth." Let's bust this myth: Cottonmouths don't live in Nebraska. What we do have are northern water snakes, which are nonvenomous, native and important to our ecosystems. Life by the Water Northern water snakes are true to their name. They spend nearly all their time around water, whether it's a quiet farm pond, a shaded creek, a muddy riverbank or the cattail edges of a marsh. They're built for an aquatic life: Their bodies are muscular and streamlined, and their keeled, or rough-textured, scales help them move smoothly through both water and vegetation. Watching one slide from a sun- warmed rock into the water is like watching liquid slipping into liquid — they vanish with barely a ripple. These snakes aren't just good swimmers — they're also athletes. They can climb low branches to bask above the water, wedge themselves into rock crevices to hide from predators and even hunt while partially submerged. Northern water snakes are opportunistic feeders, eating whatever they can overpower. Fish make up a large portion of their diet, from small minnows to unlucky sunfish to catfish fry. They're also quick to snatch up frogs and tadpoles, and they won't pass up a tasty salamander or crayfish. If the opportunity arises, northern water snakes also will go after mice or young muskrats that wander too closely to shore. They swallow their prey whole using backward- pointing teeth to grab hold while flexible jaws do the rest. By preying on so many different species, northern water snakes help keep aquatic ecosystems balanced. They prevent any one population — like frogs or small fish — from exploding in numbers, which in turn helps protect water quality and the fragile web of life in these habitats. Live Birth, No Eggs! One of the northern water snake's most fascinating adaptations is their ability to give live birth instead of laying eggs. This adaptation, called ovoviviparity, means females carry the eggs inside their bodies until the babies are fully developed and ready to be born — usually in late summer or early fall. This strategy protects the eggs from being eaten by predators or washed away by floods, and it gives the newborns a head start on survival. Water snakes can have anywhere from 10 to 30 tiny, fully formed young in a single litter, each ready to swim and hunt from the moment they hit the water. Combined with their strong swimming ability, excellent camouflage and defensive behaviors, this live-bearing trait helps northern water snakes thrive in Nebraska's waterways year after year. The Misunderstood Water Neighbor Because they're dark, thick-bodied and not shy about standing their ground, northern water snakes often get labeled as "dangerous" — a reputation they don't deserve. Their color doesn't help their case: most are brown, gray or reddish with darker bands or blotches that can look almost black when wet. To the untrained eye, that can resemble a By Monica Macoubrie, Wildlife Education Specialist THE MISUNDERSTOOD WATER SNAKE

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