Snakes are strange critters. They know when you are coming because they can detect you through vibrations in the ground, your heat signature and likely any noise you make and they can even smell you. Once they have you located they will seek out a safe place and keep a close watch on you. As soon as you get too close, they are gone. They don't want to be anywhere near you if they can possibly get away so don't corner a snake that can strike if you can avoid it said my grandfather. In the summer they become nocturnal according to my Peterson Field Guide. You may be able to tell I don't know a thing about this particular kind of snake. I had to look it up because I didn't know what it looked like. Had never heard of it even though we used to live in it's range. Are your nights cool? If they are and you know its den, you might try the heating pad trick. Prop open the mouth of a bag that is laying on a heating pad set on low or medium heat. The snake will crawl in for the warmth. Pull the prop out so the bag falls closed Tie off the top of the bag. I doubt this will work with your current weather. Once your snake is in the water all bets are off but if you can catch him out, sweeping it into a garbage can with a broom is easy enough if you don't fool around. Cover the can with the lid until you can transport him. Do a search on catching snakes. There are other ideas. Sandy

Your snake looks alot more menacing than the one I posted about in "Snake". You might try the link in that post. It has an interactive identification page. If that doesn't help, try posting your picture in the Florida Gardening forum. There are lots of people who seem to know alot about snakes there.

If they were Banded Water Snakes, the orangish phase in them is gorgeous. Adding to their vulnerability at night is that it is also cooler.

A good day Wayne! Snakes are very difficult to find now since it is so dry and hot. Observed an interesting encounter recently. Was walking through some short grass in a marshy area when a small bullfrog hopped away in a straight line away from me when a dark coil appeared with a lot of commotion. Turned out to be a large racer who had grabbed the frog by a back leg. It then crawled within 3 feet of me with its head several inches high and the frog only caught by its toes. The frog was about three times the snakes girth so it was quite a battle for a few minutes. The racer somehow managed to swallow the frog backwards which took several minutes. No camera or camcorder but still worth the long time it all took. A very interesting scale pattern on the racer after having swallowed such a huge meal.