Plainbelly Water Snake (Nerodia erythrogaster)


Group	Snakes
Code	ARADB22020
Order	Squamata
Family	Colubridae
Author	(Forster, 1771)
Rank	G5 (definitions)
USESA	(PS) (definitions)
Occurrence	P (definitions)
Scale	C (definitions)

County List:


Western UP	none
Eastern UP	none
Northern LP	none
Southern LP	Kalamazoo, Branch, Allegan, Barry, Calhoun, Cass, Eaton, Hillsdale, Van Buren, Jackson, St. Joseph, Ingham

Rule:

Mixed Forested/Nonforested or Nonforested Landscapes

      (Bottomland Hardwoods (Pole or Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
   containing:
      Dead Down Woody Debris
   adjacent to: 
      (Pond or River)

view decision rule term definitions

Habitat List:

Habitats	Regen	Sap	Pole	Sm Saw	Lg Saw	Uneven
Aspen	no	no	no	no	no	-
Paper Birch	no	no	no	no	no	-
Oak	no	no	no	no	no	no
Assorted Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Spruce/Fir	no	no	no	no	no	no
Hemlock	no	no	no	no	no	no
Jack Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Red Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
White Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Conifer Plantations	no	no	no	no	no	-
Mixed Upland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Upland Conifer	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Swamp Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Balsam Poplar & Swamp Aspen & Swamp Birch	no	no	no	no	no	no
Bottomland Hardwoods	no	no	YES	YES	YES	YES
Tamarack	no	no	no	no	no	no
Northern White Cedar	no	no	no	no	no	no
Black Spruce	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Conifer	no	no	no	no	no	no
Non-Forested	Pond, River
Special Features	Dead Down Woody Debris, Riparian

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Literature:

Holman, J. A., J. H. Harding, M. M. Hensley, and G. R. Dudderar. 1999. Michigan snakes a field guide and pocket reference. Co-operative Extension Service, Michigan State University. 72 pp.

Copper-bellied water snakes are usually found near streams, woodland ponds, and river-bottom swamps. They apparently avoid fast-moving waters. Most often seen sunning on logs, banks or piles of debris at the water's edge, this species may occasionally wander away from water. They feed on amphibians (frogs, tadpoles) and small fish.