Missouri Department of Conservation

Other Content You May Like

• Mississippi Green WatersnakeThis semiaquatic snake was once somewhat common in southeastern Missouri but is now probably extirpated. A heavy-bodied snake, it is greenish-brown with numerous small, obscure brown markings. The belly is dark gray with numerous, yellow half-moon-shaped markings. Watersnakes, although not venomous, do bite viciously to defend themselves and also secret a strong-smelling musk from glands at the base of the tail.
• Massasauga (Massasauga Rattlesnake)Video of a massasauga in the wild.
• Variable GroundsnakeA small, secretive, shiny snake that is highly variable in color. It can be gray, brown, orange or even red with or without dark bands, and it has a plain white or cream colored belly with dark transverse bars on the tail.
• Northern WatersnakeMissouri's most common species of watersnake is gray to reddish-brown, with dark brown crossbands. The belly is cream-colored with numerous black and reddish half-moon markings. Although watersnakes will bite to defend themselves, their bites are harmless.
• Northern Diamond-Backed WatersnakeOf the seven types of watersnakes native to Missouri, the diamond-backed is the largest. The overall color may be light brown or dull yellow, with dark brown markings on the sides and back. This species is absent from the Ozarks but common in the southeastern corner and over northern and western Missouri. It does not occur in our extreme northern counties.