Striped Crayfish Snake

The Striped Crayfish Snake is a small, highly aquatic species found in the marshes and wetlands of Florida and the adjacent southeastern coastal plain. Its bold striping and strong association with dense aquatic vegetation make it a distinctive, if rarely seen, member of the swamp snake group.

This harmless species is almost entirely aquatic, seldom venturing far from permanent water, and specializes in feeding on crayfish and other soft-bodied aquatic invertebrates.

• Small, slender body with smooth or weakly keeled scales
• Dark brown to blackish dorsal ground color with three bold yellow to tan stripes running the length of the body
• Bright yellow to orange belly, often unmarked or lightly marked
• Small head, barely wider than the neck; round pupils
• Distinguished from similar striped watersnakes by its small size, bright unmarked yellow belly, and strong wetland/crayfish association

Inhabits densely vegetated marshes, ponds, ditches, and slow streams throughout Florida and adjacent parts of Georgia and South Carolina. Frequently found among floating and emergent aquatic plants such as water hyacinth and hydrilla.

Highly aquatic and secretive, rarely leaving the water and often found tangled among submerged or floating vegetation. Feeds mainly on crayfish, as well as small fish and amphibian larvae. Gives birth to live young in summer.