William's garter snakes.

[mikem]

all the range info i found on them say southeast virginia up to about the james river. i googled delaware snakes and venomous snakes of delaware to only find copperheads and timbers listed. i'm not doubting you, just saying i'm not finding it on google.

[ConcinusMan]

I just looked at a range map, which are not exactly known for great accuracy and do not take suitable habitat into consideration.

I did a little more digging and apparently the copperhead is the only venomous snake in the state.

[EasternGirl]

No... I think we have water mocassins. I have researched venomous snakes in Delaware..we have copperheads, and timber rattlers .UpperDelaware.com - Ourdoor News I used to live in an area in which residents had to stay out of waterways when the tide came up because of all of the water moccasins. There is debate as to whether or not DE has them. I have read that we have them in lower Delaware...Sussex County...which is the area where I was living in which we supposedly had them. Northern Delaware does not. This is a list of Northern DE snakes: Coastal Plains Reptiles - Snakes in Coastal Plains of Delaware However, the list for snakes for Southern DE is different. I have been googling for a while now...there is quite a debate as to whether or not there are mocassins in Southern DE.

[EasternGirl]

Oh...thanks Frosty about my signature...I thought it was funny...but sadly, it is also true. Except for my son, I would love to trade my crazy family members in for snakes!!

[ConcinusMan]

.there is quite a debate as to whether or not there are mocassins in Southern DE.

Well I originally thought there was, but just barely into So. Delaware. They might have been more common in the past but absent (perhaps) now. Range maps often show western rattlers in Oregon's Willamette Valley, all the way up to the south side of Portland. However, they just aren't that far north anymore. They've been extirpated from most of the northern 2/3 of the valley due to outright slaughter, agriculture, and introduced fauna which have completely altered the valley ecosystem. Same story for Northwestern ringneck snakes in SW WA. Range maps show them in WA along the columbia river. However, they're gone now. Last confirmed sighting in WA was 1983. That location is now a parking lot/mass transit center. You must go south of Portland to find any now.

I guess my point is, as human encroachment changes, so does the range of herps. It's happening so fast, they don't have time to survey and update range maps.

[EasternGirl]

It was 1992 when I was living in the area where they were known to be common. It is marsh and swampland there. I haven't spent any significant time in that area in years...but there are still people claiming that there are water mocassins in the lower DE regions...now whether or not they are confusing them with brown watersnakes...that I do not know.

[frostyftw]

Why argue about locations of snakes? ;o

...Or are you just trying to share information to figure things out?

Oh no, I just confused myself.

[EasternGirl]

Just being herpers and discussing snake species and location, not arguing. I am actually very interested to know whether or not we actually have water mocassins in Delaware or not now. Delaware natives have always assumed we do.