Learn the Difference, Save our Snakes! Venomous Copperheads vs. Harmless Watersnakes

Maryland is home to 27 species of snakes, many of which are scattered across the western part of the state. However, only two of them are life-threatening: Northern copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen) and timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus). Both species receive a lot of attention, the former for their signature rattle, and the latter for increasing populations in suburban areas. A third species, the northern watersnake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon), is non-venomous and will slither away when approached. This poorly understood snake is commonly confused with copperheads, and suffers because of it. That it’s one our state’s most common species doesn’t help. This post is meant to teach the differences between copperheads and watersnakes, in order that we may appreciate our unique watersnakes. The northern watersnake, as its name suggests, are always found in or near water, whereas copperheads are strictly terrestrial. Therefore, watersnakes are prevalent in suburban waterways and popular recreation areas, like Centennial Lake, Wilde Lake, Little Seneca Lake, and Lake Elkhorn. Visually, the two are similar, but a trained eye can tell the difference. Both have repeating spots of darker brown between lighter brown, but watersnakes are generally a darker and more uniform brown. Watersnakes have an hourglass pattern that is skinny on the sides and wide along the backbone. On copperheads, the hourglass is skinny along the backbone, and wider along the sides. Venomous snakes, to store their venom, typically have heads noticeably wider than their body, whereas nonvenomous watersnakes more closely resemble a spaghetti noodle. I understand that most people don't want to even get close enough to a snake to tell the difference, but you can learn just by looking at enough pictures. To take a test on identifying copperheads versus other snake species, I recommend this quiz and fact sheet by the Virginia Herpetological Society: https:// www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/venomous-look-a-likes/copperhead-look-a-likes/ copperheadtest/copperhead-test.htm

I would also like to clarify northern watersnakes vs venomous cottonmouths, also called water moccasins (Agkistrodon piscivorus). There are no cottonmouths in Maryland, DC, or Northern Virginia! Cottonmouths also frequent areas with water, but are usually larger, have a stripe running through their eye, and fade to black along their tail. In areas where watersnakes overlap with copperheads and cottonmouths, many people just shoot them, thinking they are harmful. While they don’t face endangerment yet, watersnakes are tragically misidentified and misunderstood. Watersnakes are unique among snakes in that they can hunt underwater (without gills), preying on non-conventional snake prey like minnows and crayfish. Instead of killing and exterminating them, we should appreciate northern watersnakes as another piece of Maryland’s beautiful and unique ecosystems.