How can you identify a water moccasin?

The easiest way to identify a water moccasin is by looking at the snake itself. If you’re in an area where water moccasins are known to live, you can get a good look at the snakes in nature. Look for thick, triangular heads and the distinct tapering of the body. Water moccasins’ coloration also varies depending on species, although most are tan, brown, or black.

How to identify a water moccasin snake?

For most people, the easiest way to spot a water moccasin is by looking for the distinctive diamond-shaped markings on its head. The diamond pattern on the water moccasin’s head is a combination of four triangles with a teardrop shape in the center. If you see something that looks like this, you’ve likely spotted a water moccasin.

How to tell a water moccasin from a garter snake?

While similar in appearance, garter snakes are smaller, slither more quickly, and have distinctive markings on their sides and bellies that make them easy to recognize. Water moccasins are longer and thinner, with smaller side markings and no belly markings. Although some people still call them “snake moccasins,” modern authorities prefer the term water moccasin.

How to tell a water moccasin snake from a garter snake

Water moccasins have a triangular head and distinct markings. Their most distinctive feature is the diamond-shaped rattle. Water moccasins are black or very dark gray in color, while garter snakes are usually tan or bright green. Look at the snake’s underside to see if it has a distinct “keel” ridge running down the center of its belly.

How to identify a water moccasin snake skin?

A water moccasin is easily recognizable by its distinctive, triangular head and wide, flat, triangular body. It also has two small, forward-facing nostrils, which are visible when the snake's mouth is closed. The water moccasin's body has small, dark, triangular markings. Moccasins are sometimes called'snake skin' because the skin that covers their bodies is so thin.