Occurrence Dot Map:

Data from 1492 occurrences (1454 museum vouchers). - 1130 museum vouchers > 30 yrs. - 324 museum vouchers < 30 yrs. - 38 observations. - 0 literature observations. 326 unique localities.

Collection/Observation Date Quartile Plot:

Collection/Observation by Hour: 1 6 12 18 24

Observation Type: 5 - DOR 9 - AOR 3 - Basking 28 - Active, off-road 30 - Under cover 1 - Dead, off-road

Public Lands Records: 1 - Bourbon State Fishing Lake 9 - Bourbon Wildlife Area 5 - Cedar Bluff Wildlife Area 2 - Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area 1 - Clinton Lake 1 - Clinton Wildlife Area 4 - Fall River Wildlife Area 8 - Flint Hills Wildlife Refuge 2 - Fort Leavenworth 3 - Fort Riley 1 - Glen Elder Wildlife Area 1 - Green Wildlife Area 2 - Jamestown Wildlife Area 2 - Kanopolis State Park 1 - Leavenworth State Fishing Lake 1 - Mcpherson State Fishing Lake 2 - Nemaha Wildlife Area 1 - Neosho State Fishing Lake 1 - Ottawa State Fishing Lake 1 - Perry Lake Project Lands 3 - Prairie Dog State Park 1 - Rooks State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area 1 - Sand Prairie Natural History Reservation 2 - Scott State Park 2 - Sheridan State Fishing Lake 2 - Smoky Hill Weapons Range 1 - Tuttle Creek Lake Wildlife Area 2 - Wilson Lake Project Lands

Recognition:
Northern Watersnakes are fairly dark-colored snakes and may be brown, tan or grayish. The coloration is much more vivid in young and wet specimens. Their back and sides have a series of square blotches that alternate and may merge to form bands. Their scales are keeled and the anal plate is divided. Adult females tend to be larger than adult males.

Confusing Species:
This species is often confused with the venomous Cottonmouth, but Cottonmouths have bands instead of blotches and their distribution is generally restricted to the extreme southeast Cherokee County.

Reproduction:
Northern watersnakes are live-bearers and breed April June. They primarily feed on amphibians and fish and are often seen basking on banks of rivers or ponds or on branches overhanging the water.

Behavior:
They are often seen basking on banks of rivers or ponds or on branches overhanging the water.

Food Habits:
They primarily feed on amphibians and fish.

Growth and Longevity:
Northern watersnakes range in size from 24 to 55 in (61-140 cm).

Fossil Record:
Pleistocene fossil specimens are known from Meade, Rice, McPherson, and Jewell counties.

Remarks:
Not a target species for this project. However, all records will be kept.

References:
1758. Linneaus, Carl. Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. 10th Edition, Volume 1, L. Salvius, Stockholm. Pp. iv + 826.
1950. Smith, Hobart M. Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of Kansas. University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History, Miscellaneous Publication. Number 2: pp. 336.
1974. Collins, Joseph T.. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Public Education Series. (1): pp. 283 pp.
1982. Collins, Joseph T. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas, 2nd Edition. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence. Pp. 356.
1993. Collins, Joseph T. Amphibians and Reptiles of Kansas. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Lawrence. Pp. 397.
2010. Collins, Joseph T., Suzanne L. Collins, and Travis W. Taggart. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles of Kansas. Eagle Mountain Publishing., Provo, Utah. Pp. 400.