Arkansas has more kinds of water snakes than any other. They are the Green water snake, Yellowbelly water snake, Blotched water snake, Broad-banded water snake, Diamondback water snake and the Midland water snake.
Water snakes are generally heavy bodied.
This, together with their habitat, causes many people to confuse them with the venomous cottonmouth. While not venomous and not as aggressive as cottonmouths, water snakes are no pansies. Give them trouble, and they'll give it right back. Although most at home in water, water snakes often climb onto tree limbs or flood-washed debris to bask in the sun. They often musk antagonists-a defensive behavior seen in many other snakes.