Yellowbelly Watersnake Barry Mansell photo. Adults are heavy-bodied, greenish gray in color with faint to no markings on the back. The belly, neck, and labial scales are almost uniform yellow. The scales are keeled , and there are 23 dorsal scale rows at midbody. The pupil is round.
Juveniles are grayish-brown with distinct dark crossbands and blotches , with pale yellow bellies.
Outside of Florida, it is found from eastern Texas east to central Georgia and north to Illinois. Commonly found in rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, and cypress strands. The yellowbelly watersnake is active mainly during the daytime. During the hot summer months it is active in the early morning, late afternoon, and at night. It feeds on fishes, frogs, tadpoles, other amphibians, and inverbrates.