Is it bad luck to say that I've gone my whole life without seeing a copperhead or any other poisonous snake? (except at the zoo) I know we have them in Missouri and not doubting anyone that's seen one. Maybe I've just been lucky. I spent soooo much time outdoors when I was young. We went hiking in the woods a lot and had cattle so I was around pastures hauling hay and such. Maybe I was just lucky but I'm going to say to Pam not to worry. Poisonous snakes are not very common. But - instinct tells me not to wall through brushy areas around ponds or anything marshy looking. Maybe that's why I've never seen one. lol I do see a lot of garter snakes but they're small and easy to identify so not scary since there are no poisonous snakes with stripes like that. Turtle0soup - I just noticed you're in Georgia. Gardenweb also has a Georgia Gardener forum (you posted in the Ozarks forum). It may be a snake that we don't have here. If you don't get an answer there, you could try the Pest forum or Southern Gardening forum on Gardenweb. Here is a link that might be useful: Georgia Gardener

Hello, Thanks everyone :) Wanye - I too finally came to the conclusion that it was a blotched water snake. I did not get help from my local wildlife center. I sent in the image and was told that it was a dimaond back. I knew this was not correct. I was then told it was the blotched water snake by - Clint at Texassnakes.net. He was very nice and quite helpful (SUPER NICE GUY). The animal control officer that I sent the image to, said it was a yellow belly water snake, whatever - I dont care as long as it is not a cottonmouth. I have let the snake alone - and will purchase some tongs if I need to relocate it because my husband just cannot come to grips with a water snake in our yard. Otherwise - it is free to live in my garden. Besides with the water source, if he were to kill this one, there would just be more anyway, especially since I have seen the babies for two summers now. Me and my fourteen year old daughter are perfectly ok with being bitten by a non-venomous snake. It only hurts for a little while, not much more than a bee sting in my humble opinion. Speeking of bee stings - I hate to kill things - so much -that a couple of years ago - I moved a honey bee hive (see I truly do hate to kill) I called a couple of beekeepers, and no one would come out - so I moved them myself :)-(Thank God my husband was working in Japan - he would have totally freaked out on this one too) Only ended up with two stings - and that is because when I went back for the second load of bees, guess I did not get the queen the first time. I was too lazy to tape my sleeves to my gloves. I moved them a couple of blocks away to a open field. I looked so funny carrying a box of bees, dressed all in white - and having a hat and my husbands old jersey stretched over it, I had to peek through the holes in the shirt. (my home made version of a bee keepers suit:) I can only imagine what the people driving down the main road where thinking!!! Back to the snakes. I would like to know however - are they agressive by nature, or only if provoked? Meaning, do they try to reatreat if given the chance, or do they stand their ground - there are only a few of these types snakes that I am aware of, but not sure about the water snakes. Thanks for all the help - RT

I think it is a Striped Cave Racer scientific name = (Elaphe taeniura) It is non- venomous

It's a baby "caramel-phase" Florida Banded Watersnake, Nerodia fasciata, a species that varies quite a bit in coloration and is found from Florida to the Carolinas. These lighter-colored specimens are called "caramel" because as adults they do have a coloration that resembles caramel, with darker bands. There is also a red-phase and a dark-colored phase, as well as albino and hypomelanistic specimens.