Harmless · North Carolina
Banded Watersnake
Nerodia fasciata
Strongly banded Coastal Plain water snake.
At a glance
Size
Usually 24-42 inches.
North Carolina range
Coastal Plain
Habitat
swamps, marshes, pond edges
Diet
Fish, frogs, salamanders, and other aquatic prey.
Pattern
bands
Venomous
No
How to identify it
Heavy-bodied watersnake with broad dark crossbands that remain band-like along most of the body.
Where to look in North Carolina
Found throughout much of the Coastal Plain.
Swamps, marshes, ponds, ditches, and slow-moving waterways.
Regional maps show broad physiographic provinces, not county-level records.
Photo guide
Use the gallery to check pattern, body shape, and context—not just overall color.
