Look Out for These 3 Water Snakes Lurking in Ohio 

Written by Megan Martin
Updated: August 20, 2023
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There are many different species of water snakes in Ohio. To learn more about the species of water snakes in Ohio, keep reading below! 

3 Water Snakes in Ohio

When talking about water snakes in Ohio or any location, it’s important to be specific about what a water snake is. For some, water snakes are snakes that live either aquatic or semiaquatic lifestyles. For others, water snakes in Ohio can also include snakes that live near water sources without ever spending time in the water.

Below, you’ll get to meet three different species of snakes that live in the water. From ponds to rivers to lakes, be ready to meet the water snakes of Ohio!

1. Northern Water Snake

The northern water snake, also known as the common water snake, is one of the most common species of snake that live in water in the United States. Because of its appearance and location, many people mistake it for the cottonmouth. The cottonmouth is a highly venomous snake species frequently found around water. The northern water snake, however, is non-venomous. 

brown watersnake

Because of its appearance and location, many people mistake it for the cottonmouth.

©Radiant Reptilia/Shutterstock.com

2. Plain-Bellied Water Snake

The plain-bellied water snake is the same family as the northern water snake. However, these are two different species of water snake in Ohio. They can be found almost everywhere in the eastern United States. However, they’re not located in the Appalachian mountain range. They are a plentiful species in Ohio, though. 

Plain-bellied water snake (Nerodia erythrogaster)

Plain-bellied water snakes (

Nerodia erythrogaster

) live in the water either all the time or most of the time.

©Danny Ye/Shutterstock.com

3. Queen Snake

The queen snake has many different names, including those like the diamond-backed water snake, banded water snake, and leather snake. However, while some of its names may make it seem like this species is related to the highly venomous diamond-back rattlesnake, they aren’t closely related. The queen snake is a nonvenomous species in the genus Regina.

Diamond-backed Water Snake

The queen snake is a nonvenomous species in the genus

Regina

.

©iStock.com/williamhc

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Steve Byland/Shutterstock.com

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About the Author

Megan is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is birds, felines, and sharks. She has been researching and writing about animals for four years, and she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in biology and professional and technical writing from Wingate University, which she earned in 2022. A resident of North Carolina, Megan is an avid birdwatcher that enjoys spending time with her cats and exploring local zoological parks with her husband.

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