Florida Green Watersnake
Nerodia floridana
Florida's largest native watersnake, an olive-brown, nonvenomous species of marshes, lakes, and slow waterways.
Florida Green Watersnakes inhabit freshwater marshes, lakes, ponds, canals, and slow rivers through much of the state. They spend time in water and bask on branches, vegetation, or banks.
They are harmless to people but often mistaken for cottonmouths. Leaving the snake an escape route and maintaining natural shoreline cover supports safe coexistence.
Habitat:
Freshwater Wetlands, Lakes and Ponds, Rivers and Springs, Canals and Ditches
Area / Range:
Florida Panhandle, North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida
Diet:
Feeds mainly on fish, frogs, tadpoles, and other aquatic prey.
Behavior:
Strong swimmer that basks near water and quickly retreats when approached. If restrained, it may bite and release musk, but it is not venomous.
Daytime, Nighttime, Dawn and Dusk
Active Times:
Best time to see:
Warm mornings and evenings around quiet freshwater edges.
Florida Native Status:
Native
Conservation Status:
Least Concern; wetland loss and shoreline alteration reduce local habitat.
Safety Level:
Moderate
Safety Information:
Do not handle or corner any unidentified snake. Keep children and pets back and contact a qualified wildlife professional when identification is uncertain.
Benefits to Property:
Helps balance pond and wetland food webs by consuming abundant fish and amphibians.
Property Concerns:
May appear near ponds, docks, drains, or pools. It does not damage property, but frightened snakes may bite if captured.
Fun Fact:
- It gives birth to live young.
- It is the largest watersnake native to North America.
- Flattening the head can cause mistaken cottonmouth reports.
Wildlife Laws:
Native snakes are regulated under Florida wildlife rules. Do not kill, relocate, sell, or possess wildlife unlawfully; use permitted professionals for conflict removal.
Identification:
Heavy-bodied snake with olive, greenish-brown, or dark brown coloring, faint darker markings, keeled scales, and a pale belly. The head is narrow compared with the neck, although a defensive snake may flatten it.