Blotched Water Snake (Nerodia erythrogaster transversa)
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The Blotched Water Snake is the most frequently seen snake in the Garden ponds. Adults look much like the related Diamondback Water Snake, but this species has dark spots with light color in between while the latter has the colors reversed. The water snakes in the Garden will almost always flee if people approach, but can sometimes be seen hiding under vegetation or sunning in a secluded spot. This species eats aquatic animals like fish, frogs and crustaceans.
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These snakes are live-bearers and the young are born in late summer. The bold pattern of the baby snakes, shown below, gradually fades to the more subdued colors of the adult.
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class: Reptilia / order: Squamata / family: Colubridae / genus: Nerodia / species: erythrogaster / subspecies: transversa
| site by larvalbug |
