Image of Nerodia sipedon sipedon (Linnaeus 1758)

Description:

A single Northern Water Snake, an apparent roadkill, was observed dead on Sixteenmile Lake Road (a gravel road). Number of ventral scales = 142. Number of subcaudal scales = 60. Total length = 33.5 inches. Tail length = 7.25 inches. Dorsal side brown with keeled scales. Ventral pattern of white, orange, and black. Specimen was collected and frozen. Habitat: alder wetland with mixed conifer/northern hardwood forest near small lake (Lake Twenty Five). Moon phase: first quarter. Sky condition: clear. General comment: winter was cold and long. Some inland lakes in Alger County that are close to Lake Superior were 99% ice covered on 8 May 2014. Heavy rain late that night cleared the lakes of nearly all of the ice.