Hold that Hoe! Perhaps no other group of animals strikes fear into the hearts of so many people as snakes. Particularly in the Appalachians, there is no need to be afraid of every one you see. Only 2 species are poisonous and they are very easy to identify. They are also rarely encountered. Copperheads and timber rattlers are the only poisonous snakes in the mountains and you must nearly step on one in order to get bitten. Neither is aggressive. Neither will chase you. Unfortunately, stepping on a copperhead is possible to do, for the pattern of the snake blends in so well with the leaves that the snake can be hard to see. Most snakebites in our area are from copperheads that have been stepped on. These bites are rarely, if ever, fatal, but should receive medical attention. Both snakes occur in forested areas and in fields that are bordered by forests. They both eat mice and other rodents. Water moccasins do not occur in the mountains. They are found only on the coastal plain. We have 2 species of water snakes that often get killed because people think they are water moccasins, but neither is poisonous. They are not aggressive either. The queen snake is usually found in streams and rivers. It is slender and 1-3 feet long. Its back is dark brown and its belly is yellow, often with a light brown stripe along each side. Sometimes seen basking on rocks, it is more often found underneath them where it searches for its favorite food of crawfish. The northern water snake is larger and heavy-bodied. It is between 2 and 4 feet long. Their color is variable, but they are most often brown with dark crossbands or blotches on their backs. If completely dry, their backs may be uniformly grey. Their bellies are lighter colored. Where the dark bands and blotches meet the belly skin, they are red. Whereas queen snakes are usually found in moving water, northern water snakes usually occupy stationary water. They are most frequently found in lakes and ponds, but sometimes follow creeks upstream. These snakes bask on logs or pond banks and often climb into low, overhanging limbs. They eat frogs and salamanders, but take small fish if they can catch them. Juvenile snakes are a favorite prey of larger fish and wading birds. It is the northern water snake that is often called a water moccasin, and sometimes is mistaken for a copperhead. Copperheads rarely enter ponds, but will swim across a stream if they have no other option. They are also brown, with dark bands, but have none of the red color along their sides. It is easy to tell the two apart, especially if you have seen a good picture. So if you live in the Appalachians and see a snake in your pond, don’t worry. It almost certainly isn’t poisonous and is more afraid of you than you are of it. It has a place in the natural world, too. copyright 2001 by Jennifer E. Frick